Second Chances
by UnderElectricCandlelight
Summary: What if Hershel Greene had a serious reason for keeping their new guests at arms length? In order to keep his youngest daughter safe, they must be kept at a distance. But plans don't always work out the way we hoped.
1. Chapter 1 - Where it began

**Author's Note: This is my very first attempt at writing anything. After reading so many stories on here, I could't help but try to make a story out of the ideas in my head. So please be gentle with me, I'm a VERY fresh newbie to this, and not too proud to admit I'm not always completely certain with what I'm doing.**

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Pain.

Screams.

Panic.

That is all she could remember as she drifted in and out of consciousness. The fever was high, her father and sister constantly checking her vitals. Lying in her comfortable bed, in her family home on the farm where she lived all her life; Beth Greene was dying.

Life was carrying on as usual on the farm. Hershel Greene was a caring and compassionate man, everyone in town knew that about the vet. But he was equally an authoritative figure, taking charge to do right by his family. That is why during widespread chaos the Greene family were in their own world, isolated on the farm made home by generations of Greenes. Where for the youngest family member, Beth felt safe. This virus, as her father had explained, had reached their small town nearly a fortnight ago; the day the TV went blank. News footage of families loading up their cars, traffic jams miles long, people screaming in the city streets. Beth had watched this in horror, gripping onto her sister for dear life. Maggie had come home following Beth's problems the year before, and Beth had never been happier than to be sat beside her at that moment.

Their brother Shawn was pacing in the background, quiet as always. Oh he could be bossy towards his sisters when he wanted to be, but underneath it he was a calm person, observing everything from the background. Although not blood-related, he took after his father in that way. Hershel was very much a calm and collected person, always silently assessing (but never judging) the situation around him. Perhaps that's why they say opposites attract; Annette Greene was very much a busybody, always wanting to help a friend, a neighbour, the church. A loving soul, nobody would openly admit to it, but Beth's mother was undoubtedly the real head of the Greene family, offering her husband support and advice at every corner. As the saying goes, behind every great man is a great woman.

But amongst everything, at Beth's side, was her oldest Greene daughter. Strong-willed, protective and forever the independent one, Maggie and Beth were best friends. Their bond had always been strong, ever since Beth was born and her older sister would be front and centre, ready to help with Beth's every baby-related need. When Maggie went away to college, and later stayed in the city for work, the sisters would talk every day, Beth going to visit every chance they had. When the family were told of Beth's condition so many moths ago, Maggie was the first person Beth turned to, her having decided to drop everything and move back home. This was a time for family to be together and as always Maggie's fierce protectiveness had her rallying around her baby sister.

Now all these months later, as the family had finally found a sense of peace, the world was turning upside down.

Hershel had taken every precaution to keep his family safe until this virus was under control. Otis, their farmhand and Hershel's old friend, along with his wife Patricia had moved into the Greene home, as well as Beth's friend Jimmy. Their land had a number of water wells, vegetables, a few livestock, and food-produce in the cellar – originally prepared by Annette for the churches harvest festival. Fences and guns were used to secure the property, and no one but Hershel and Otis were to leave. Everyday life had become about routine, day in day out, the same mundane chores, and life became monotonous. Until one day it just… wasn't.

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 **I know it may seem I'm going into a lot of detail here about a certain family, but I really wanted to emphasise the hard loss that the surviving Greenes have gone though. And if there's any questions popping up from this chapter, then yes, they will be answered in time.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Reality sinking in

**Author's Note: Here's the next installment. This one is VERY descriptive because it is so important to Beth's predicament and how it will affect everyone, but from here on out it will progress to the group coming to stay at the farm.**

 **Something I really feel I should share from the beginning is how I have really bad health (M.E. / CFS, it sucks!) and so I can't always guarantee regular updates or that every chapter will be so long or detailed. It is a case of doing what I can when I can,which I have learnt to do over the past 12/13 years, but being stuck in the house so much you tend to get addicted to the internet, and for me it's fan fiction. So that's why I decided to give my first story a go.**

 **Thank-you SO MUCH to all those who have already followed and favourited, I'm going to do my best to keep this going. x**

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Feeding the chickens, helping with housework, preparing the meals. Her life had become one long routine and Beth was anxious to know what was happening out there. The family farm was a few miles outside of the nearest town, and with TV and phones down, she had never felt more isolated.

"Mama, I'm just gonna' go see to Nelly. I'll be quick!" Beth yelled through to the kitchen. She heard her mother's muffled reply of "Ok, and make sure you bring your brother in with you. I don't like any of you kids being outside alone too long."

With that Beth took off through the front door, with a spring in her step, towards the barn. Nelly may be a skittish, temperamental horse, but she never failed to calm at the sight of the youngest Greene, and visa versa. As she approached Beth noticed the barn doors ajar. _Perhaps Shawn's already seeing to the horses. I knew he would be skiving off his own chores._ Grabbing for the pitchfork left propped up beside the entryway and opening the door further, ready to enter, she paused, listening to an odd squelching sound, and with caution and baited breath slowly stepped through.

Nelly was in her stall, the first nearest the door, but she was currently cowering against the back wall. Creeping further inwards, the noise grew louder. This was ridiculous, Beth was 18 years old! The first thing she promised herself when her life was turned upside down all those months ago was to face things head on. Stop being seen as baby Greene, and take things into her own hands, like Maggie. So, this was her chance. Not too long Beth would have been happy to play her part – Hershel's polite youngest, petite and pretty, talented. But lost in the shadows of her older siblings. Oh sure, she was always willing to lend a hand, babysit for many in town, but she most definitely had a stubborn streak. It hardly ever made itself present, but when it did you knew about it. And that is how Beth had vowed she would live her life, grab her second chance with both hands and show she had grown into a confident, capable and intelligent young woman. Once she would have faltered at the first hurdle, but not now. Not as she strode further in, straight towards the very sound raising goose bumps down her arms.

It wasn't so much she was scared of death, but more leaving behind lost opportunities. Her mama always told her that at the end of a person's life, it is always the things they never did that they regret. This is all Beth could think about as she took in the scene before her. Dropping the pitchfork with a thud at her side, all she could feel in that moment was numb.

Blood. So much blood. The coppery stench clogged her nose, but if anything was going to make her lose her breakfast in that moment it was the sight she was taking in in horror. One of the sick, that's what her daddy always called them, near the furthest stall, huddled over God knows what. The stench of decay hit her like a wall, even stood 15ft away she could practically smell the cells individually rotting, but how could that be? If these people were sick, some sort of rabies her father had theorised, then how can they still be walking around like this, doing anything, all the while rotting away?! Her mind was racing so fast Beth didn't realise it only took a matter of seconds for it to turn towards her, to truly show her what these things were.

It was a woman – or at least had been – behind the grey, hollow complexion and glazed white eyes, looking so much like the pearls around her neck, her Sunday best covered in mud and blood. On her knees on the floor, one foot snapped at the ankle in what should be an agonising experience, two large pieces of flesh missing from it's arm closest to Beth, the bone showing through and chunks of muscle hanging from the gaping wound. As it paused its activity and turned toward her, Beth finally understood just how far into hell the world had fallen. Now that sound made sense, because when it realised it was not alone, in one motion the mutilated arms lowered away from it's face and turned to look. Blood smeared the mouth, coating the jaw, neck, cheeks; _Where is all that coming from?_ But in its hands the blood's origin became clear. A half-eaten arm. Still vaguely pink; fresh.

Beth instinctively stepped back, aiming slowly towards the open doors a mere few feet behind her, all the while absorbed in some sort of surreal staring contest with this… thing. So much so she never once picked up on the shuffling sound behind her, not aware until it's cold hands were already on her shoulders.

What happened next seemed in her eyes to take an eternity, all the while her heart pounding in her ears. In reality it took only a matter of moments for everything to unravel. At the contact behind her, Beth jumped and all it took was the slight push at her back to send her tumbling to the ground, the thing falling soon after.

The contact with the ground momentarily winded her, but she was quick to crawl out from beneath it, moving on her stomach, as it weighed heavy at her feet. That's when her eyes caught the pitchfork lying so close, yet so far in front of her. Wriggling forward as best she could, the thing grabbing at her legs and trying – but failing – to bite at her boot covered ankles. But being so intent on reaching her goal Beth was failing to notice how her shuffling had caused her oversized t-shirt to rise, only the slightest slice of skin, but it was enough.

Her fingertips were so near, clawing at the ground, inching closer and closer until… yes! Her hand grasped the handle, pulling her final life-line towards her, clutching it in both hands and twisting her body, yanking it above her head and ready to aim for her attacker. But what made her falter was the blinding pain through her side, crying out as teeth clamped onto her flesh. Before it could tear her apart she shoved the rusty prongs into the head, effectively pulling it's teeth out and away from her.

The adrenaline was pumping through her veins, blinding her to the Church walker dragging itself towards her, a shadow falling over it.

Shawn leaned all his weight against the closed gate, stumbling from the stable and took in the scene before him. Thrusting his knife through its head, looming over it in victory, before collapsing to the ground.

The last thing Beth saw before the darkness overtook her was her brother looking her way, the light leaving his eyes, his colour paled from his missing arm.

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 **So, the last thing Shawn did was save his baby sister from a second walker. Hoping to upload chapter 3 in the next few days.**


	3. Chapter 3 - The inevitable

A/N: I promised myself I'd upload this today as a little birthday present to myself - now 24... and hating it.  
I know this is only chapter 3 but do far this is my least favourite, its like I just could't quite get it how I wanted it in my head. But after this we will be seeing the introduction of Rick's group. More characters = more drama!  
Thank-you for the reviews/ favourites/ follows x

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"Beth? Bethy, please open your eyes. I know you're in there. Please come back to me."

Maggie's voice was creeping through the darkness, anchoring Beth back to reality. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the light, blinking away the haze, her sister's face came into focus. Why was she crying? What happened, why was she in her bed?

"Maggie, what… I can't remem…" Beth's voice croaking from dryness. Her eyes started flitting around the room; everything looked the same, what was it that made her like this? She was dragged out of her thoughts by the sudden warmth, Maggie lovingly holding and stroking her arm. It was a gesture they had always had, since they were little the sisters knew just how to comfort each other, to show without words their solid relationship.

"Shh, shh. You're okay now Blackbird. I'm not sure how, but you're okay," Maggie's hushed tone helping to calm Beth. "You've been outta' it for four days now. We thought…" her tears making another appearance, trying to pull herself together. "We thought we were gonna' lose you too."

At hearing those words Beth moved to sit upright, her heart pounding, her mind racing. "Where's Shawn, Shawn, where is he…" her panicked ramblings cut short by the stabbing pain that seemed to shoot right through her, making the room spin and spots to blur her vision.

"No, you need rest, you can't be moving so quick," Maggie's arms encircling Beth's shoulders and helping her to slowly lie back down. "You need to know what happened Bethy. Daddy and Otis are out by the fences, Patricia and Jimmy are seeing to the animals right now. While it's just the two of us we need to talk. I know how daddy always wants to keep you in bubble wrap, never let you see the big bad world. But we both know you haven't been the baby since you were still running round in pigtails and scraping your knees."

Beth tried to calm her breath, the pain through her torso subsiding. She reached out for Maggie's hand, squeezing it as her sister leaned further forward in her chair. The atmosphere had changed. It was so surreal, the sense of de ja vu. Warm sunshine bathed the room and sisters, you'd think it was just an ordinary summers day, Beth lying in bed with Maggie watching over her. Except now the circumstances had changed.

"Please Maggie, just tell me."

X-X-X

 _Flashback_

" _Maggie! Has Beth come back into the house? Is she's off in her own little world again… I swear I don't know what goes through her head half the time," Annette began muttering to herself as Maggie walked through the kitchen door, arms loaded with clean laundry._

" _Not that I know of, never heard her," she responded. "Just let me take these upstairs and I'll go look out front for you," and with that she headed to the bedrooms._

" _Well if you want something doing you have to do it yourself," Annette huffed, before flouncing through the house and out the front door._

 _Maggie caught sight of her stepmother from her bedroom window, knowing she should really try to catch up. One thing to know about the Greene matriarch – she will never let you hear the end of it if you don't do something she asked right away, even worse, if she does it before you can. With that Maggie skipped out the room and down the stairs, all the while hearing Annette calling out in her search. By the time she made out onto the front porch she could see the older woman approaching the barn._

X-X-X

"I followed over after her, I wasn't that far behind, but it wasn't enough to stop it," recalled Maggie. The sisters were huddled together, their hands clasping each other's in a vice grip, tears streaming down their faces.

"By the time I got in there Shawn was moving, looked like he was just coming to. Annette was rushing to his side, he sat up and she was kneeling down and… and… it just, it just happened so quickly. He grabbed her, and then…" Maggie had to pause, collect her breath through the sobs.

Beth stayed silent, she knew she had to just allow Maggie to let everything out.

"After he bit her she managed to pull away, she shuffled into the corner. I just moved without even thinking, I grabbed a shovel and somehow herded him into a stall, lock him in there. Jimmy showed up and we managed to get you both back in the house, daddy and Otis got back not long after and they moved Shawn into the other barn."

"Where's mama? You said she's in the house?" Beth practically whispered. She already knew the inevitable, but she needed it spoken out loud, like it would just make it real.

"It was her shoulder, didn't bleed as much as Shawn. But… she didn't make it through the night sweety. She woke up, but she wasn't herself, she's out front with Shawn. I've hardly left your room since, just waiting for you to wake up, I couldn't let myself think you'd never come back to us," explained Maggie. Her last words seemed to take a minute for Beth to fully comprehend.

"Wait, how long was I out? It only happened yesterday right?" Beth questioned, her mind racing a mile a minute.

"You've been unconscious for four days now. We've been keeping an eye on you; that first night your fever got real bad, worse than Annette's. Stayed like that for over 24 hours, and when it got better you started tossing and turning, murmuring, it's like you were slipping in and out. But you're here," she smiled. "I'll go get daddy, let him check you over." With that Maggie bent forward to kiss her sister's head as she stood to leave the room, glancing back at Beth before commencing her search.

Now alone Beth simply stared at the ceiling, stone still as a million questions raced through her mind. She remembered Shawn, he was the one who saved her. But wait, she was already bit, so… yes, he saved her from the second one. Something was wrong with him, he was already in the barn before her, she never saw him come from behind her, the direction of the doors. Oh God. Oh God no. The arm. It clicked – it was Shawn's arm, she had watched that thing eat a part of her own brother!

She could feel the tears begin to burn her eyes, threatening to fall as she heard the echo of footsteps on the stairs. She took a deep breath, composed herself just in time. She knew she couldn't break down in front of her father, and she knew just how to wear that mask of composure – she had a lot of experience.

"Blackbird, you've finally decided to come to eh?" Her father's smile stretched wide across his face. You'd think the past few days had never happened as he rushed to his youngest's side, seemingly light from worries or cares. He sat on the edge of her bed, checking her temperature, pulse, her eyes, asking how she felt, until he came to her stomach. She could feel the tape being peeled back, his fingers prodding the source of pain making her flinch.

"Well, it's not inflamed or too red. I had to put in a couple of stitches but it seems to be healing well. It's so good to see you doing better doodlebug," Hershel smiled. "Now if you ladies will excuse me I need to get back to helping Jimmy and Otis. You get your rest, I'll come in to see you soon."

It was only was she heard him step out onto the porch beneath her window, that the sisters new the coast was clear. Beth reached for her t-shirt, Maggie instantly handing her a small mirror – there it was.

A circle of puncture wounds starting at her front and moving round her back, just above her hip. It looked uneven, with some small holes and bigger ones being sewn together.

No matter what it looked like, as their eyes met in that moment, both sister's knew Beth should not be in this position right now – she should be dead.


	4. Chapter 4 - The arrival

So I've FINALLY uploaded the next part - the past week or so it just seemed a struggle to really the chapter together. But it's here now, and it's the final one before the rest of the group join the picture.  
Just to make it clear, I know the events of episodes in my head, but I don't have my dvds at the moment as I leant them to a friend who's never seen it (I'm determined to make him as addicted to it as I am), so the actual timeline here will be adjusted occasionally to meet the story in my head.

Thank-you for the reviews/follows/favourites - it does definitely keep me going with this x

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It had taken 3 weeks for her father to accept that Beth was not made of glass, she not going to break at any moment. As usual Maggie had hovered some, sticking to her role as overprotective big sister, but she also knew when to hold back.

Then there was Jimmy. They'd known each other practically their whole lives – it was a small town. When they were 13 they became real friends, and after a while had even started something more. They never really crossed the friend line, it was a flirtation, the feeling that there could be a potential there. But after Beth received the news when she was 16 it was like her perspective on everything around her changed. They still talked, spent time together, but they just weren't as close anymore. He'd even kissed her but then the world had stopped, and what exactly do you say to someone in that situation? "Yes the world has ended and your family might be dead, but on top of all that you can feel rejected 'cause I just don't feel that way about you?"

Talking to Maggie had helped some, helped keep her sane. Hershel seemed oblivious to the fact that he almost lost his daughter, avoiding talking about the attack. Since Shawn and Annette, he'd roped Jimmy and Otis in to helping him put their neighbours and any nearby walkers in the barn. Beth and Maggie both knew better, but they also knew that sharing the truth would break him. Their father still believed everything could go back to normal; there will be a cure, the 'sick' will get better, and society will carry on.

That's how Beth found herself here. For some reason she had always found comfort in climbing – first it was trees, until she was 9 years old and fell (almost giving her father a heart attack). So then the treehouse was built, but it's safe to say she outgrew that some time ago. Now it was the house roof, climbing right out her bedroom window and looking out over the fields.

That's how she saw the man.

X-X-X

Rick was running as fast as his legs could go. He'd cleared the woods, sprinting over the fields towards the house. At least he hoped and prayed it was the right house. His arms were growing numb, sweat dripping in his eyes, heartbeat pounding in his ears.

He could see the building in the distance, and movement on the roof – a flash of yellow, disappearing into one of the windows.

X-X-X

Beth saw the figure in the distance, at first she thought maybe it was one of those things, but she was fairly positive they didn't run.

She climbed back through into her room and headed out into the hall, crashing into Maggie.

"I think someone's coming to the house. Looks like he's carrying something and running, so he's not one of them, right?" she blurted out. Maggie looked confused for all of a second before turning on her heel and running down the stairs and out onto the front porch. Beth stood on the landing, unsure what to do, whilst her sister began shouting for their father. Hershel quickly came dashing through the house and out to join his oldest daughter.

Rick came running up to the front porch, Beth could hear him asking for help, something about his son and Otis, before he came barrelling into the house. That's when Beth realised he was carrying a young boy, before he was ushered into the downstairs guest room.

She made her way downstairs, following Maggie into the room. Up close she could see him properly now, he was somewhere in his early-to-mid 30s, looked like he'd been through a lot – on top of his dirty clothes, he was obviously distressed about his son. Hershel was bent over the boy, Patricia helping him and Maggie trying to console the man. She was so busy watching the exchange from the doorway she didn't notice her father glancing her way.

"Bethy, why don't you go on through to the kitchen, we have everything in hand here," Hershel said, his eyes glued to his work. When she hesitated only a moment, he was quick to order her out.

"Now Bethy, Maggie will be there soon," he sounded sharp but she knew something was going on. The sisters exchanged a quick look of confusion before she did as she was told.

She had been sat at the table for a few minutes, so focused on listening to the muffled voices from the other room that she didn't realise she had zoned out, the footsteps echoing through the hall bringing her back to reality.

"Hey," Maggie said appearing in the doorway. "Daddy's just looking over the boy now, I'm gonna' go get Rick's wife, uou ok here?"

"Rick? Is that his name?" asked Beth. Being left out the room just left her with a number of questions.

"Oh, yeah. There was an accident with Otis – he's fine – but ricks son ended up shot. Look I'll tell you everything when I get back," rushed Maggie, and with that she launched herself from the doorframe and out the house.

Beth found herself gaping at the empty space her sister had just occupied, until the banging of a door soon brought her back to her senses. Heavy footsteps made their way into the guest room, followed by raised voices and sounds of movement. Being in the kitchen at the back of the house, Beth couldn't make out he conversation or who was who, but then her father appeared from down the hall.

"I've done all I can for now. Otis is back, with one of the man's friends. Now while we have people here I want you to stay out of their way. I"m going to do what I can to help the boy, but we don't know these people Bethy," Hershel warned her. Sitting next to her at the table he continued his warning.

"We don't know who they really are, if we can trust them. Now I've told them this, and they say they understand."

"But how long will they be here, if you're helping them?" she asked.

"Otis and one of them are going to go get something I need in order to help the boy. But while all this is happening I need you to stay away as much as possible, you understand me doodlebug?" His tone sounded gentle but she understood how serious he was.

"But if they could be so dangerous how come you let Maggie go find them?" Beth's voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course we don't know much about them. But it's you I'm most concerned about," he said. As she was about to speak back, remind him that she was now a young woman, anything Maggie could do she could too, Hershel leaned forward and took her hand, continuing in as soothing a voice as possible. "We don't know a lot about this illness, and until we do we can't risk other people knowing about your… incident."

It all clicked in her mind, nodding slowly.

"Good, good," he said, a relieved smile gracing his face for a moment. "Now," placing a kiss on her forehead, "If you wait for Maggie, I'll go check back on the patient."

X-X-X

Beth sat outside in the afternoon sun, waiting for Maggie and lost in her thoughts as usual, when she caught a flicker of movement from the side of the porch.

"Hey, wondering where you got to," smiled Jimmy, walking round and up the stairs. "Hardly seen you the past couple weeks." He came to stand at the top of the steps, awkwardly putting his hands I his pockets and smiling down at her.

"Hey," she replied shyly. "Yeah, just so much going on, Maggie and daddy just wanted me to rest up a while."

In all honesty she wasn't sure how much Jimmy knew of her 'situation', the last she'd heard of he'd helped her inside after the attack. She'd been trying her hardest to avoid him and to be frank, Jimmy was really the last thing on her mind.

"Glad you're feeling better. Your dad said you'd suffered shock after seeing… you know. You'd blacked out," Jimmy was starting to blush, pink creeping into his cheeks. He moved to lean against the banister in front of her. "Well, umm… now you're better we could spend some more time together."

This was the awkward moment Beth knew would be coming sooner or later. It wasn't that she didn't care for him, he had been one of her closest friends, but she just wasn't sure how he felt about her, not exactly.

"Maybe. I know you're busy," said Beth. She had to think carefully about her next words. "And what with everything happening today, I'm thinking me and Maggie will be busy round the house and helping my dad."

She stood and turned to walk back into the house, but Jimmy moved to her side, his hand cupping her elbow.

"Patricia told me, about the boy your dad's helping. If you want to talk, you know I'm here," his tone was gentle, almost hopeful she thought.

"That's ok. You've always been a good _friend_ ," she emphasised, before slipping into the house.

He must have gone back to work because she thankfully dind't feel him behind her. Her relief was cut short when she noticed the man sat in the living room. She tried to slip down the hall to the kitchen unnoticed, but then he lifted his head and stared straight at her.

"Hi, you must be Hershel's other daughter," he mumbled, rising to his feet. He was obviously exhausted. "I'm rick, the uh, the boy is my son, Carl." He walked around the couch to stand in front of her.

"Yeah, I'm Beth. How's he doing?" she almost stammered.

"Your dad's doing all he can, my friend Shane and your, uh, farmhand are getting something to help."

She looked him over, seeing clearly the blood on his shirt and the worry in his eye.

"I'm sure they'll get back soon," her tone as confident as possible. She badly felt the need to console him, but knew she should do as her father instructed. With her trademark smile stretching across her face, he found himself feeling somewhat reassured. "I hope everything goes ok. Maggie shouldn't be much longer with your wife."

Beth started shuffling slightly from side to side. " I really need to get back to the kitchen, please make yourself comfortable here." With that she rushed from the room, making good on her promise to stay as obscure as possible.

X-X-X

A sombre mood had encompassed the house by that evening. Beth and Maggie lay on Beth's bed, staring at the ceiling, finally feeling all cried out. They had been told that Otis hadn't made it back, but not all the details. After hours of mourning their family friend, the sisters turned to other topics – the specifics of the accident that led to their new houseguests, Beth's situation with Jimmy, and Maggie's short meeting with Rick's people. Nevertheless as they lay now, feeling safe cocooned in her bedroom, Beth was all too aware of the anguish of the small group downstairs.

The last thing she thought of before she succumbed to sleep was tomorrow's arrivals to the farm.


	5. Chapter 5 - Brief Encounter

We meet again.  
Although I know in my head what I want to happen in this story I've just really hitting a brick wall the past couple of weeks when it comes to actually writing. So because of that I don't think this chapter's really anything special but I just wanted to finally get round to publishing.

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For that one moment between sleep and reality she actually forgot. Believed that it was just another summer morning, of lying in bed 'til noon and days spent lazing about, soaking up the sun. Then she had some recognition of talking to Maggie last night, about Jimmy, about how to let him down easy, about… and it clicked. Within the blink of an eye every event of the past few weeks came storming back, and suddenly she didn't feel so light anymore, the doom and gloom barrelling in.

She covered her face with her hands, letting out a low groan of frustration. Flinging her arms to her sides she rolled out of bed with a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for what was to come. She refused to wallow in self-pity, she'd face the day head on.

Taking as quick a shower as possible she tensed at the feel of the scar – the bite. It was slowly turning from angry pink to pale, a constant reminder of how she survived. And they didn't.

Making her way downstairs she made sure to plaster on her smile, more than hoping it would convince her father she was fine. The quietness made her think she was alone, but that hope was short lived when she found someone in the kitchen.

"Hi, I'm Shane," rising from his chair at the table. "I know we didn't really meet yesterday. You're Hershel's youngest, right?"

"Yeah. Beth," she replied, stepping away from the doorway and further into the room. "How is, um…"

"Carl?"

"Yeah, how is he doing?"

"Better. Your daddy's real hopeful. He's in there now with Lori and Rick."

"That's great. Well, is there anything I can help you with? Has everybody eaten already?"

"Yeah, yeah, we're all good," Shane said, slowly walking around the table and towards Beth. "The rest of our group should be her soon."

As he walked past her and towards the door behind her, he stopped.

"You know, Otis is one of the bravest men I ever met."

At that Beth looked back over her shoulder, only to see him staring straight at her.

"He saved my life yesterday, and Carl's. Sacrificed himself for all of us really. You should be proud," and with that he left.

Beth stayed frozen to the spot, finding herself startled by Shane's words. Maybe it was the words themselves, perhaps his tone. Although she can't put her finger on it, she knows for certain there was just something she didn't like about him.

X-X-X

Beth was tidying her room, well, at least trying to. It was difficult to keep busy when Hershel told her to keep upstairs with nothing to do. She could hear noise from downstairs, lots of voices and eventually movement towards the front of the house. When she heard the screen-door bang and a faint rumbling sound her curiosity got the best of her, and before she know it she had crept over to her open window to see vehicles – trucks, cars, even a big RV – coming closer down the farm track towards the house. This must be Rick's group.

As they got closer she could see Shane and Rick step out from under the porch below. Obviously she was intrigued, maybe even a little excited that the isolation was going to be broken up some, but nevertheless she made sure to stay off to the side, peering out from behind the open curtains as she watched the meeting unfold.

X-X-X

As the group came to a stop on his land, Hershel stepped forward to finally see their new guests. Rick introduced them all one-by-one, as they emerged from the vehicles and came to stand in front of the porch. All but one.

Daryl stood by his bike, cigarette between his lips, as he took in his surroundings. He was aware of Rick talking about them, fully knowing how the rag-tag group must look to this man. But his main focus was on the perimeters around the property – he could see it being manageable, keeping these freaks at bay. He could scout the woods for 'em, probably even bag some dinner. Maybe staying here could work for now.

Hershel bellowed out to the group, bringing Daryl's attention back to the property itself, taking it in entirely for the first time.

"I'm Hershel, this here is my house and land. This is Maggie, my eldest," he indicated, Maggie stepping up to her father's side. "And here is Jimmy and Patricia, they're family friends, staying here. I know the boy is the reason you've come, and while he is recuperating you are welcome to stay here, within limits obviously…" Whilst he carried on to explain boundaries and his rules, a flash of blonde hair turning from the window didn't fail to catch the archer's eye.

"If alla ya's are standing here, then who's that upstairs?" Daryl asked, or more demanded, interrupting Hershel's address. At his outburst a few members of the group turned to look up at the house, others at either him or Hershel.

"That is my youngest daughter, Beth. She had an accident with her horse a couple of days ago, nothing serious but she's resting," Hershel replied, not missing a beat. Maggie's head snapped towards her father, an action Daryl didn't miss. She's never seen him lie with such ease, it just flowing out so effortlessly.

"We've already met Beth, it's not like they're trying to hide her from us," Rick explained to everyone.

"We will leave you all to get settled. Rick, Lori, you're obviously free to come visit with Carl," the older man clarified before the Greene clan left, leaving the archer more and more suspicious.

X-X-X

Beth was cleaning the kitchen whilst the house was somewhat quiet. Lori was with Carl; she could hear a muffled voice, her comforting him in a soothing tone. Memories of her own mother doing just that made her stop still, thoughts of her mother holding her and stroking her hair when the medication made her sick.

But before she could let herself wallow any further, the back door opened and in walked two of the very people she was trying to avoid.

"Oh hi, you must be Beth. I'm Andrea and this is Carol. Your sister said to wait for her here, she'll be in any minute," Andrea said. Beth took in their smiling faces. The fact that they surprised her mixed with her father's words made her feel jittery.

"Hi, I know I haven't really met many of your group yet…"

"Oh don't worry about it. We're only just settling in, sure we would have got to meet you sooner or later," Carol cut in.

"Forgive me, but you and Maggie really don't look alike," Andrea said after a few moments of awkward silence.

"We're actually half-sisters. Maggie's mother died when she was little. I have a half-brother too, Maggie's stepbrother, Shawn. Well, um, had… him and my mama… they didn't…" Beth trailed off. It wasn't so much a sadness that washed over her, more a stalling. Hershel had told her to lay low, but did that include keeping things hidden from them? Surely a conversation about the basics of their family couldn't do so much harm, or lead them to knowing what happened to her. If these were such bad people then why would her father let them stay?

"I'm so sorry sweety," Carol spoke softly. As she opened her mouth to speak again Maggie interrupted them.

"Sorry I took so long, but I can get you some things now," she said as she banged through the door. Her eyes widened just a fraction as she took in the sight of Beth and the two women, the slight look of tension in the young blonde's face.

"Lori's just through with Carl, I'm sure it's fine for you to go see them. Me and Beth'll put some thing's together for you."

At her suggestion the two guests shared a quick look, and shuffled out of the kitchen.

"Are you ok? What did they say?" Maggie blurted, making her way to Beth's side.

"Not much, they seem nice," she replied.

"Yeah they are, well most of 'em anyway,"

"What do you mean by that?" Beth asked, her voice taking an inquisitive tone.

"Daryl."

"Daryl? You got to give me more than that," Beth prodded, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Oh, he turned up on the bike. Can't really miss him; surly look, big ass crossbow," Maggie joked. "He seems like a good guy I guess, just has an attitude is all."

"Well everyone else seems ok right? Just wondering when I'll get to meet more of 'em."

"I know Bethy, but you know what daddy said about us not getting too attached, especially you. Gotta stay out the way Blackbird," said Maggie.

Beth could hear the warmth in her voice, how there was emotion and love for her younger as Maggie turned to move around the kitchen, she couldn't help but feel trapped – trapped in the house and trapped in a lie.

X-X-X

For a few hours the group had been settling in on Hershel's land, trying to get comfortable with their tents and set-ups. But ever the practical, Daryl Dixon was occupied with what actually mattered. All these people trying to play nice with this Greene guy, it wasn't gonna keep them alive. They were all so bothered about making this place comfortable, but comfortable doesn't help you survive at the end of the god damn world.

So he was going to stay on the edges, as him and Merle always had; it's safer to stay detached, to stay away meant less reasons to lose focus. Until his brother got left behind by these fuckwits – just another reason not to get too close – and he was left with no one but them.

It wasn't that he just out-and-out hated everyone, although lots would get on his nerves. No, it was the closeness that was needed to get to know someone, in order to actually find if you got along with them. And that closeness was the hardest thing for him. While he couldn't do that, he would stay away.

Sitting outside his tent, doing what he did best and skinning his latest catch, his quiet was interrupted.

"Hey, Dixon," yelled Andrea, walking towards him with Carol. "The Greene's are wanting us all."

As they came to stand in front of him he kept his head down, busy with work.

"They invited us all to a memorial thing, remember all those lost," she continued. Daryl reacted the way she expected, his face snapping to her, a quick look of irritation before he opened his mouth to bite back, but Carol got in there first.

"Look Daryl, I know what you're gonna' say, about how we shouldn't be wasting time with self-pity. Not while we're worrying about those things out there. But at the end of the day, we need this. Sophia needs this. My daughter is safer here than she has been in weeks, and Carl is still healing. If we wanna stay here we need to play nice, so just get up, and do this."

It was times like this that Daryl would like nothing more than to lash out at anyone trying to lecture him, but A) he may have done a lot of things in his life but hitting a woman would never be one of them, and B) he knew she was right.

Without saying a word he wiped his hands, stood and glared at the two women in his path.

"Ya gonna get outta the way or what?"

With an exchange of surprised looks, they stepped aside before following the redneck towards the others.

X-X-X

The group of guests were all gathered under the trees before Hershel, Jimmy and Patricia came out to join them.

"My daughters will be out in a moment. Thank-you for joining us."

Daryl's ears perked up at the word 'daughters', as in plural. He wasn't interested to meet the younger sister, he'd already met Maggie and while she seemed alright as far as people come, it was the puppy-dog eyes from Glenn that bothered him. Seriously? In the middle of the fucking apocalypse he spends his time swooning after the farmer's daughter?

The house door banged causing several pairs of eyes to turn, seeing Maggie come bounding down the steps, Beth obscured behind her. As they came closer to the group she steeped up beside the taller girl, letting them finally put a face to the name.

"This here is my youngest, Beth," Hershel beamed.

She looked around the group as they came to join the gathering.

Daryl couldn't help but stare at her. This was the girl being kept away? Looked like she couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag, short and frail looking. Most likely a stuck-up princess who didn't wanna mix with the likes of them, probably didn't even wanna come out here except for her father making her. No surprise they kept her hidden away, looks like she wouldn't survive out here in the real world, not anymore.

As her eyes came to rest on him, Daryl swore he could see a hint of something else, a look that didn't quite match the meek persona. The little blonde quickly looked away, holding hands with the sister and listening as her father began.

 _Probably scared as hell being around us. That princess aint gonna last._

X-X-X

How do you stay away from these people _and_ make sure to show your face today? Her father didn't realise how uncomfortable he had made her. She saw no real reason to stay away, being hidden would just have them asking more questions. They didn't seem so bad, except maybe Shane. Everyone smiled at her, gave a nod of the head, at least made friendly eye contact. But one.

So he must be Daryl. Maggie really wasn't kidding with the 'surly look'. The glare he was sending her way made Beth's head snap away so fast she could feel her neck click. Getting to know someone whose first interaction with you caused such a fierce look could only mean trouble, one way or another. And trouble was the last thing she needed if she was going to stay low.

But that brief encounter had nothing on the feel of Jimmy's eyes practically piercing the side of her face. Things were already so uncomfortable, Beth dared only glance his way, before catching Mr. Crossbow smirk at her expense – not only had he been watching the awkward exchange but he thought it funny?

Beth decided to just get this over with. Listen to what there was to be said, make her father happy and leave. Easier said than done.

Andrea spoke of her sister, Amy, and all she could think was how easily that could be Maggie stood there, pouring her heart out about the loss of her little sister. Those thoughts clouded her mind, deafening her to the voices around her, cocooning her in her own little world.

Maggie squeezed her hand tight as Hershel mentioned his wife and stepson, bringing her back to the present. Her father really only did that though, _mention_ their loss, no words about them, only the fact they were no longer with them. Talking about them too much could only do 2 things to the patriarch; break him more, and lead these people one step closer to knowing the real set-up on this farm.

She thought it was over, she could breathe a sigh of relief. But Shane had to go and ruin that.

"I know Patricia and Hershel have already spoken about Otis, but I just wanted to add something," he began, inhaling deeply before continuing. "He was one of the best men I ever met. He gave himself up so I could get out." Upon finishing Beth's face turned to him, her eyebrows knitting in confusion and met his cold stare.

"So I could get back here to help Carl," he quickly added, before stomping away. His departure started the slow trickling away of the others, until only Daryl and the 2 sisters were left.

Beth knew he was lying, but about what exactly was hard to pinpoint.

"Umm, Maggie? Can I talk to you a sec?" Glenn murmured, obviously nervous around the older girl. Maggie quickly squeezed Beth's hand before joining him.

Seemingly focused on the rocks in front of her, the youngest girl dared to look at the biker one last time, an action itself enough the surprise him.

"Shane is full of crap," Beth stated, her voice so serious and face almost stoic. She didn't miss his startled look at her words, even if it graced and left his features so quickly.

X-X-X

As Daryl watched her head back to the house, he couldn't help the intrigue that came over him.

 _Maybe there is more to this princess_.

* * *

So, yes. Sophia is alive and never separated from the group. I initially wrote this with a whole section on how Beth could see a sorrow in Carol's eyes and how Daryl felt he was letting her down by not find Sophia yet. But when I stopped and thought about what I wanted for the next few chapter and the events to come, I think I may have just found a role for Sophia at the farm.


	6. Chapter 6 - Into the woods

Hi all - wasn't sure when I'd get this up but I finally did it! yay me  
My M.E. has been playing up REALLY badly the past couple of weeks, so almost every afternoon I've spent in my room watching episodes of Buffy for the millionth time. But on the plus side I've got through almost 2 seasons in only a few days. Thank you SO much to everyone who has reviewed, followed or favourited. It's helped me a lot to get writing x

* * *

"Tell me girls, how've you been today?"

On a normal day such a question from Hershel would seem normal. But under the current circumstances both Maggie and Beth knew the real reason he was asking; their father was making sure they were keeping a distance from the group. The two girls shared a quick glance across the table before echoing the same sentiments; "it was fine", "Took care of things in the house", "It was quiet".

The rest of dinner passed without much else being brought up, at least nothing related to their guests outside, for which both girls were thankful. But when their uncomfortable family gathering was finally over they wasted no time in hurling themselves into Beth's room like the night before.

"So, what's with you? It seems like every time I see you you're either coming back from seeing their group or…" Beth teased. She'd seen Maggie and one of those guys talking outside – a lot. It seemed every time she looked out the window, there they were.

"Or, what? Spit it out Bethy."

"It seems you're getting to know the group quite well. That guy you're always talking to seems nice," she continued to tease. Maggie had always had boys throwing themselves at her, and sure she gave some of them the time of day but never really seemed to find a guy she could really get to know.

"Glenn," Maggie replied. As she realised how quickly and firmly she'd responded she couldn't stop the blush invading her cheeks, just like Beth couldn't help the smile across her face. "Anyway, what did you say to a certain red-neck out there? He was watching you the entire time you came back up to the house."

The smile on Beth's face dropped. "I knew it-"

"No," the young blonde cut her off. "There was no flirting, no banter… I just told him I thought something felt off with that Shane guy," she mumbled. She didn't want to give Maggie much more information, not wanting her to worry too much about the circumstances surrounding Otis' death. At least not until she could be more certain about Shane.

"He hasn't _done_ anything," Beth half-lied. "It's just a vibe, and I'm sure it's probably nothing."

Maggie knew her sister well enough to know she wasn't giving her the whole truth, narrowing her eyes for a few moments before changing the subject. For which Beth was incredibly thankful.

"Well, there really isn't anything with Glenn, but he's cute. And yes I talked to him a bit today," Maggie smiled. She knew it would be pointless to try pushing her on the subject, it would only be wasting both their time. So until Beth was ready to talk more, Maggie would change the subject and let her sister know she was there for her.

X-X-X

The Greene house was almost in darkness. Lori was staying in with Carl, and whilst others in Rick's group were retreating to their beds, Daryl was busy with other matters.

He was trying to tell himself he was only pre-occupied with his suspicions of Shane. If he was going to be sticking around with this group for the near future then he needed to know them – well as much as he could without actually getting to close. But what he knew from the start was he did. Not. Like. Shane. It felt to Daryl like he was just waiting for him to slip up, show his true colours. Until then he would watch him like a hawk.

He'd already been keeping an eye on Shane since before they came to the farm. So why was it that Beth's words had been on repeat for him? And that was the part that bothered him – it was not so much the words themselves, but the pretty little blonde behind them that stuck with him.

He'd never been one to be distracted by a pretty face, that had always been Merle's downfall. Of course he could notice a girl's attractiveness, but that didn't mean he would be brazen enough to think he would stand a chance with her, let alone allow her to occupy his thoughts for very long.

What he couldn't understand was this; was it the notion of betrayal and secrets from Shane, or the fact his brain was stuck on Beth that angered him most?

He looked over to Shane's tent, seeing his light switched off and realised everyone around him had turned in for the night. As if he wasn't already so frustrated at being pre-occupied with the farmer's daughter, now his musings had distracted him. He couldn't let that happen.

Unfortunately for him the very subject of his attention made an appearance – and of all places on the roof?

 _Damn girl's gonna get 'erself killed._

But as he watched her sat there, scribbling away in her journal, he couldn't help the small smirk before turning to his tent for the night.

 _Full'a surprises, that's for sure._

X-X-X

It had been five days since their arrival and the group was still to talk to Beth properly. She had had some quick exchanges with them, but nothing past quick glances and brief greetings in passing.

Both Maggie and Beth knew how important it was to their father to stay out of out of sight and they had been, Beth more so. But Maggie knew just how it was getting to her sister, and so they had agreed to do something that no one else could know about.

Especially Hershel.

 _ **Flashback**_

" _They all seem to be settling in ok. Andrea and Carol have even mentioned something about cooking a meal for all of us, like a thank-you thing," Maggie rambled. Beth's face fell, her eyes averted to Maggie's bedspread beneath them._

" _Ok. What is that face for?" Maggie tried coaxing. "And don't try saying it's nothing. We both know you can lie to anyone but me. So spill."_

" _It's just, it's gonna be yet another time for me to be hidden," Beth mumbled. "It's bad enough I can barely step outside without a chaperone, but everyone gathering together just means more time shut away."_

 _She knew full-well that in the grand scheme of things being tucked away in a safe house during a deadly global outbreak was not necessarily something to moan about. Her predicament was nothing compared to the fight for survival happening around her._

" _I know it's stupid. I should just be grateful we're safer here than out there somewhere," she quickly added, finally looking Maggie in the face and plastering on her fake smile._

 _Maggie's heart deflated just a little at the sight; she knew that smile all too well, the 'push all emotions down to make everyone else feel better' smile. She knew she had to step in and do… something._

 _Maggie knew herself how overprotective her father was, and while her only time out there was during her search for Lori, Hershel had restricted her from going out there again. But she knew she wasn't as trapped as her sister._

" _It's really not stupid. What happened with, the accident, was tough. But I can see how strong you are, physically and emotionally, and daddy's trying to protect both of you," Maggie tried, wanting to support her. "He's not ready to realise that you're all grown up, and he can't come to terms with just how bad those things out there are."_

" _Mags, you and I both know what they really are. And it hurts me to know that mama and Shawn are being kept that way, none of them should be," Beth said, her strong tone making Maggie proud of her little sister. "Daddy and Jimmy shouldn't be bringing them back here, they deserve to be put out of their misery."_

" _There's no point talking about it, daddy will never see it that way," Maggie sighed with a sad smile. Beth had never seen Maggie so defeated, she was always the strong one of the two. So to say her next words would surprise both of them would be somewhat of an understatement._

" _Then we should do it," Beth all-but stated. At her sister's bewildered face, she felt herself needing to take control. "Just think about it. If we stopped those things in the woods it means less of them to put in the barn, not to mention doing them a favour and ending it for them once and for all."_

 _Maggie couldn't help stare at her, mouth open and just plain confused. She'd always known how resilient Beth is, but when did she become this confident, take-charge woman?_

X-X-X

So here were Hershel Greene's over-protected, well-mannered daughters. The apples of his eye. Wandering through the woods armed with hunting knives and machetes, putting down walkers. That's what Maggie had heard Rick's group call them, and it was better than just saying 'them'.

To be fair it hadn't taken much convincing to persuade Maggie. They were both lacking experience in this, having to deal with walkers up close. Beth had killed her attacker in the barn, but that was hardly done with finesse. Maggie's total kills only came to two, from her excursion to find Lori, but other than that she had stayed close to home. Even when Carl had needed medicine she could only give Rick's group directions into town while she stayed behind, feeling helpless.

But they knew those things weren't human, not anymore, and this was something they had to do. This was their third day of doing this, so the two girls had learnt a couple of things – not be gone for too long, and to leave a change of clothes at the perimeter around the woods. It would definitely raise a few questions if anyone saw them in bits of walkers.

As Beth pulled her knife from the forehead of what was apparently once a fast food worker, she simply watched it fall to a heap. The features were human, they walked, responded to noise and movement. They wore clothes and jewellery; she had even seen one with a backpack still around his shoulders. But then there was the decay, the hanging limbs, gaping wounds, the stench. It was strange that even beyond all that, it was somehow the absentness in their eyes that she couldn't get past.

It was dead. And now she had put it down for good.

X-X-X

By the time they'd got back from what was starting to become their daily excursion, Beth could feel the tiredness trickling into her bones. Luckily for both girls growing up on a farm meant they had never been shy to hard work.

So whilst she would love nothing more than to collapse into her soft, comfortable bed, instead she was preparing dinner whilst propped up against the counter, trying to stay upright or admit how tired she was and leave herself open to questions.

 _So ironic. Daddy wants me kept locked away, and the one time I would gladly go to my room I have to stay down here._

Banging coming up the back porch and through the door rudely interrupted her daydreaming, and as Jimmy barged into the barged into the kitchen she felt herself release a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Hey, dinner's gonna be a little while yet," she said, trying and probably failing to break her recent spell of awkward encounters with him.

"I need to talk to you. Now," Jimmy ordered, lunging forward to grab Beth's arm and pull her outside. His grip was firm enough to guide her towards the horse barn, but he wasn't forceful enough to be dragging her kicking and screaming. Never-the-less she wasn't going to stay pliant.

"Jimmy, you can't just drag me somewhere," seethed Beth, hopping down the porch steps behind him. She couldn't see anyone else close by, but she didn't feel the need to start yelling for help. _She_ knew Jimmy would never hurt her, but that's not to say Rick's group would understand that if they saw them.

"I can't believe this, what were you thinking…" muttered Jimmy, more to himself than Beth. His ramblings continued as he checked the stalls and upon finding themselves alone finally released his hold on her forearm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Beth demanded, rubbing her now sore arm.

"Me? What _I'M_ doing?" his pitch rising slightly in anger. "I saw you. You _AND_ Maggie, coming out of the woods. What do you think you were doing out there? It's too dangerous for you girls to leave the farm."

"So what's this about Jimmy?" her voice sounding unruffled, but anger seeping into her words. "The fact it was me and Maggie. Or the fact we're two girls in the dangerous woods?"

"That's not… it's not what I… stop twisting my words!" He was becoming flustered now, taking a calming breath and trying to carry on from a different approach. "I'm just worried about you. Your dad hasn't let either of you far from the farm since all this started. Whatever you're doing it can't be important enough to put both your lives at risk."

Before she could properly respond, Jimmy stepped forward to stand just inches from her, his hands coming up to rub her arms. Beth shook him off and took a firm step back.

"Don't touch me!"

X-X-X

He was a hunter. From a young age he had had to look after himself, and that meant hunting. So heading back to camp with his fresh kills hanging from his belt to be skinned, and covered in walker guts, he thought it odd more of the undead weren't roaming the woods closer to the farm.

"Don't touch me!"

He stopped dead in his tracks, figuring the voice was coming from the barn he'd just passed. He couldn't tell who it was other than it being a female, but he knew the voice yelled more out of anger than fear. He may be a lot of things, but he knew to help a woman in trouble and so stalked back to the barn. However he stopped short before he could open the doors, recognising the owner behind the voice.

X-X-X

"You don't know everything about me, and you don't need to cos you aint my boyfriend," Beth seethed.

"I worry about you Bethy," Jimmy tried to quieten her. "It's not just since the incident in here that you've been different. It's like it's been happening since you got the news- "

"Don't you dare," she cut in. "You weren't there the whole time, you were too busy trying to have a normal life away from me. You weren't there when me and Maggie snuck out to go to some party when someone called the cops, or when me and Shawn would go camping in the woods. Even when I went back to school and you were too busy at the popular table with those jackasses. We were so close, but like I said, we aren't together. Never were, never will be. So you just gotta let me breathe."

A quick flash of hurt crossed his face, before Jimmy pushed past her and out the barn. The old Beth would have cried at this point, in fact she wouldn't have even had the guts to say all that. But surprisingly her eyes were dry and her nerves calm. Wiping a hand over her ponytail she left, aiming to finish up this meal and collapse into bed, her adrenaline wearing off and weariness kicking back in.

"So, having a little boy trouble Princess?" Daryl emerged from the shadows and came to stand beside her, trademark smirk plastered in place.

"And what would you know about it, you having some yourself?" Her voice was laced with sarcasm.

"I know the little farmer's daughter is too busy being all up and mighty to live in the real world now. You've gotta nut up or shut up, and while we're all here tryin to protect your daddy's land, you're still occupied with your boy-troubles high school shit!"

By the time his rant was over Beth had turned to glare at him; _This is the last thing I need today._

"First off, has anyone ever told you how rude it is to listen in on other people's private conversations?" her level tone a vast change from Daryl's temper. "And second, since it's obvious you _were_ listening, I gather you already heard me, but I'm gonna say it again. If Jimmy doesn't know everything about, what make you think you do?"

With that she turned on her heel and marched back up to the house – leaving him questioning why she could make him so stressed, and a strong sense of déjà vu.

* * *

I have a lot planned, but I'm trying to to reveal too much all at once - gotta keep you all interested somehow.  
As you may also have noticed Maggie is being kept at the farm by Hershel too, meaning her relationship with Glenn is going to be taking a much slower path. Kinda pissed me off that they seemed to jump head-first into this relationship, meanwhile we saw Beth and Daryl really get to know each and even change each other for the better, then they had to go and kill her off!


	7. Chapter 7 - A Rude Awakening

**It's finally here!**

 **I've been having a problem with my MacBook since August and it was driving me crazy (I fully understand if you skip the following rant and I won't hold it against you) - I had it from the end of 2010, and at the beginning of 2013 the logic board went. Luckily I just had it replaced under the warranty, but then it would't turn on at the end of this August. Took me forever to get an appointment at the genius bar a few weeks into September, when they took it apart and told me it started working again when they put it back together, so no charge (we love free things!) But then it went again 2 days later, when they told me it was then the logic board, AGAIN, so I had to borrow £400 off someone to pay for it to get fixed. BUT technically it could have been carried out for free under EU Consumer Law, but I got the Mac through a company for disabled students and they were COMPLETELY RUDE when I contacted them and they refused to help me even thought it would be costing them nothing to do so. So in the end, I got the money, then got another phone call from Apple telling me the hard drive was going AS WELL! Luckily my brother is amazing and managed to talk the Apple manager into replacing the hard drive for free. Got it back, got home and the day after... my internet crashed. So then I had to wait a week for Sky to send me a new router box, but luckily that has fixed it so, fingers crossed, every things good now!**

 **I understand that is an incredibly long rant but now I feel SO much better. So, here's the chapter!**

* * *

The one morning. The ONE morning she contemplated just staying in bed. The sun shining through the window, warming her in her cocoon of bedsheets and cushy pillows. Burrowing down deeper she could feel the heaviness of sleep taking over, her sore limbs feeling weightless as she slowly drifted back off into…

"Beth! Bethy!" The muffled voice yelled out, breaking through her blissful state. With a groan she rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.

 _Of course I can't get one moment of peace_.

Pulling the covers up over her head, she braced herself as she heard Maggie's footsteps – or more like stomping – barrelling towards her room.

"You awake?" the unwanted guest asked as she threw open the door. If Beth hadn't been, she certainly would be as Maggie slammed the door closed behind her and launched herself onto the bed.

"Urgh, what is it Mags?"

"Well," she continued, pausing to rip the sheet back. "There you are! Andrea, Lori and Carol are talking dad into letting them cook for us tonight."

"And that has you so excited how?" Beth sighed, the last fragments of sleep lingering.

"We're helping. As in me, AND you."

She was definitely awake now.

"I simply reasoned with him that if they are gonna be in the kitchen with my help, it would look even weirder than it already does if you were gonna be in your room the _entire_ day. He just says that I can't leave you alone with them, stick by your side the entire time. But it looks like no hiding for you today," beamed Maggie. Both girls lunged forward into a bone-crushing hug, squealing and smiling.

"Hey, where's your necklace?" Maggie asked as she pulled back. "Thought you never took it off."

"Oh," Beth's face falling. "Lost it. Noticed I wasn't wearing it a couple days ago."

"Sorry sweety. I know how much you love that thing."

"No, it's fine," breathed Beth with a sad smile. "Really. It's nothing compared to the grand scheme of things, don't ya think?"

"Well," smiled Maggie, lightening the tone, "time to get moving. Can't stay in here all day can you."

Once she had left the room Beth realised just how excited she was to spend the day in her won kitchen - _When did my life come to this?_

Either way, she suddenly felt too energised to even consider going back to sleep.

X-X-X

"…she was so red, it hurt to even move. Had her so paranoid she even started carrying sunscreen around in her bag wherever she went!"

The five women had been sharing stories for most of the day – cooking, laughing, gossiping, it was the closest any of them had got to feeling normal in a long time.

When Andrea had chimed in with some story about Amy, a small smile and soft laugh to accompany her memory, Lori and Carol knew she was slowly but surely healing.

While Beth and Maggie had never met her sister, they could still feel for the woman. They didn't know what they'd do if they lost each other.

And in true sisterly fashion, had both taken the opportunity to also share some embarrassing stories.

"So Beth," began Lori. Beth looked up from peeling potatoes to see Carol and Lori share a mischievous smile. "It seems Jimmy is pretty smitten, how long have the two of you been seeing each-"

"Oh we're just friends," Beth was quick to explain. "We've known each other pretty much our whole lives, but we've been real friends the past few years." She had tried to keep her tone light and friendly, but everyone in the room could sense there was more to the story.

"Oh, it's just, we must have got the wrong end of the stick," explained Carol with a smile. "We've all seen him watching you, puppy dog eyes an' all."

Whether it was feeling some what normal for the first time in weeks, around women who made her so comfortable, or just the overwhelming need to relieve some of the pressure in her chest of keeping so many secrets, Beth just grabbed the opportunity to talk openly.

"Things have been awkward. With Jimmy," she started. She could see from the corner of her eye how the other women paused their actions, turning to glance between her and each other. "Since my mom and Shawn were killed he treats me like some helpless girl, like I should be dependent on him, keep running to him or something."

"Well sweety, maybe you should talk to him. If you're such good friends he's probably just worried about you, with everything going on," offered Lori.

"It's just, it's a little more complicated than that." Beth's voice was hesitant, but with a deep breath she continued. "We had sort of drifted apart a little before all of this began. But he…"

She looked up to see everyone looking at her, only adding to the heat she could already feel rising up in her cheeks as she thought about her next sentence.

"He kissed me, just the once. But by then I really didn't know how I felt about him, and I kept thinking I should talk to him about it. But it was right before all this started and I guess I just kinda chickened out a little. I mean, with everything going on I thought we'd be too pre-occupied, he'd be too busy to look at me that way."

"But he hasn't been?" Lori asked, her tone suggesting she already knew the answer.

"Beth. He hasn't done something has he?" asked Carol at Beth's silence, the older woman's eyebrows scrunching in concern.

"Oh no, nothing bad," Beth quickly clarified. She had heard from Maggie how bad things had been between Carol and her husband. "Yesterday he dragged me out to the horse barn, started yelling at me about how he was worried, that I wasn't the same person he knew when we were younger."

"Bethy, I knew things were awkward between you two, but you didn't tell me he'd done that," Maggie's voice was soft, the sound of unease clearly evident.

"It's not even that," sighed Beth. "I went crazy at him about how he wasn't in charge of me, whether he was my boyfriend or not. And I more than stressed that he was _not_. He stormed off and we haven't spoken since."

"Well I think you know your true feelings," offered Andrea. "You telling him all that in the heat of the moment, all your real feelings came rushing out. Just gotta figure out how to tell him better."

They all silently returned to the cooking tasks at hand, sensing the end of that specific conversation.

The afternoon wore on in much the same way it had started, the women taking pleasure in sharing normal gossip amongst all the chaos. Leaving Beth to contemplate her plan of action with what could be her only friend left in the world.

X-X-X

To say dinner had become an awkward affair would be an understatement.

When everyone first gathered – including Daryl who was pretty much dragged into the house – there was shared appreciation for the meal and for Hershel allowing them to do this. A jovial mood hovered over the group - until all the pleasantries and thank-you's were over and the uncomfortable silence spread.

Shane's glares could hardly go unnoticed, even with the group already accustomed to tiptoeing around the mysterious tension he had with the Sheriff and Lori; the latter of whom was currently squirming under his gaze.

At the head of the table, as always, sat Hershel, his stare hardly straying from their guests.

And sandwiched amongst all this tension sat the two Greene girls, sat either side of the father they were each on the receiving end of their own tense stand-offs. While Maggie may have been involved in some idol conversation, mainly on Dale's side as he tried to ease the tension, her main point of focus was on Glenn. Or to be exact, focusing on not making eye contact with his smiling face and puppy-dog eyes. She liked him, she did, but what with her father wanting his girls to be kept away from the group as much as possible and the fact that the group would be moving on soon anyway, she'd decided to keep her distance.

Unfortunately for Beth she could feel the heat of two sets of eyes on her. In trying her hardest to avoid the glares of Jimmy, she focused on her plate, head down and just waiting for this meal to be over.

"Well, if it's okay with Hershel, I would just like to say thank-you," Rick approached. With a nod from Hershel, he continued. "I just wanted to say thank-you to the ladies for preparing this great meal. But also thank Hershel and his family for helping us, with everything. Not only did you do everything possible for Carl, which we'll be eternally grateful for. But you let a group of complete strangers stay on your land, living around your home and your family. Not everyone would do that, or even let them into your house like this."

"That's the Greene's for you. Willing to help… always there," Jimmy cut through the pleasantries, before emphasising his final point. "Always honest."

It was those words that finally chipped away at Beth's resolve, her eyes snapping to him for the first time that night. Just in time to see his warm expression toward Hershel turn quick as a flash to a look of distain towards her, before finally settling on his plate.

She shared a glance with Maggie, who had obviously picked up on Jimmy's not-quite-so-subtle meaning, as well as their earlier kitchen guests. Everyone else had resumed their murmurings and attempts at silence-filling, but all Beth could do was wonder two things; could she ever fix her friendship with Jimmy, and why was Daryl scowling so hard at named friend.

X-X-X

Both sisters were supposed to clean up, but Beth being the good sister she was, had agreed to cover for Maggie while she talked to Glenn – in exchange for Maggie owing her a favour of Beth's choosing, of course.

She could hear the muffled voices from the front of the house, everyone dispersing once dinner was finally finished. No doubt her father was discussing the group leaving – a subject he had broached numerous times already.

Beth honestly didn't know how to feel about it all. She didn't _really_ know them, she had to try and stay away as much as possible. But she was nowhere near heartless enough to be okay with people being forced out into certain danger.

A quiet noise behind her grabbed her attention away from her deep train of thought. So deep in fact it took several seconds to realise someone was clearing their throat, and even more moments to react.

"Oh, hey," she cautiously said, looking over her shoulder. "I thought you'd gone back outside already."

"Yeah, um… yer dad's just talking to Rick." Daryl was shuffling into the kitchen, his eyes darting between the floor and Beth. If she didn't know any better she'd think he was nervous. "He said to come through for some things yer sister put together."

Without a word she turned to gather the food Hershel said they could have, leaving Daryl to feel completely out of place, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck and once again finding the tiled floor very interesting.

"Here you go," as she emerged with what little supplies they could spare. "So, does that mean you're all leaving tomorrow?"

"Pretty much," he muffled from round his thumb – a nervous tick. "Carl's doing good so..."

Beth placed the supplies on the small table at her side and turned to carry on with her work, hoping he would leave without any of their now usual conflict.

But her hopeful state was sorely interrupted by the fingers curling round her wrist with just enough pressure to make her jump and turn back to the redneck.

"Mind tellin' me where you got this?" he snarled. They both looked down to the see the hand-shaped bruise on her arm – courtesy of Jimmy.

"It's really nothing," she rushed, realising she'd rolled up her sleeves to clean up, thinking she'd be left alone for the rest of the night. "Nobody hurt me or anything, it's nobody's business."

"Well I know ya didn't get that from cooking all day," inching closer to stare her in the face. "So let me guess, yer little boyfriend get too physical in the barn yesterday?"

Beth didn't know how to respond to that. He seemed so irate already, how would he react to the truth that it technically was Jimmy. Daryl took a breath, squaring his shoulders and dropping her arm to walk towards the back door.

"Stop, it honestly isn't anything," Beth begged. "Ok, it was actually Jimmy, but he wasn't hurting me. He NEVER has. You really are just reading this the wrong way."

"Fine. Ya know what? Maybe it is some kinda accident, but don't expect any help from me when somethin does go wrong."

He grabbed the food and left, leaving her more confused than she already was from dinner.

X-X-X

What the hell was he thinking? The way their 'conversation' had ended yesterday, the yelling from the barn, seeing that bruise. He'd seen things like that before, he'd _lived_ through things like that before. Memories of going to sleep at night, having to hear the screaming and shouting, and finally the banging and crashing. He'd see the night's results in the morning, up her arms and around her neck.

Daryl himself was no stranger to _his_ fists, but it got worse. MUCH worse, after she died.

Of course he knew not to jump to conclusions and always expect the worse, that he shouldn't project his own experiences onto others. This knowledge was niggling away at he back of his mind.

But his temper and quick judgement always had him act first and think later.

He trudged back through the camp, wanting nothing more than to put as much space between him and that house. Collapsing into his tent he lay on his bed, scrubbing his hands over his face. Even when he was alone - something he had preferred for as long as he could remember – she still crowded his thoughts. Either Beth was lying to protect that Jimmy kid and endangering herself, or she was simply telling the truth. Either way her could feel the anger bubbling away inside him.

He kept telling himself it was all because of his family, that he would never allow a man to lay a hand on a woman, not while he was around. Any self-respecting man would know that, at least that's what he was trying to tell himself.

As he slipped into a fitful nights sleep, Daryl's mind was plagued by the same recurring thought; was he more angry at the possibility a female was being hurt by a guy – and right under his nose – or that he felt more concerned it was _Beth_ who was hurt.

X-X-X

Following her problematic encounter with Daryl, Beth found herself seeking solace in her writing. Or at least that's what she was hoping for. Writing helped her focus, to clear her mind of unnecessary distractions and really block out any negativity, and what with everything happening the past few weeks she hadn't had a whole lot of time. But as she finally put her pen to paper it seemed the universe was intent on keeping her distracted – said distraction being in the shape of an older sister.

"You're not too busy are you?" said Maggie as she sauntered in and flung herself onto the bed.

"No, not at all," Beth breathed. Her first instinct was anger at being barged in on, but then she took in the look on Maggie's face.

"I couldn't avoid Glenn anymore," Maggie stated, sadness seeping into her eyes. Beth simply cuddled into her sister's side and let her vent.

But in true sister style they were quickly giggling and poking fun at each other.

"I still can't believe you did that!" Beth exclaimed.

"The guy was a jerk! He kept telling me his friend was looking for a quick rebound, so 'is your sister available?' He deserved that drink in his face!" Maggie proudly justified.

"Except it wasn't A drink Mags. It was a whole pitcher AND chilli cheese fries," lectured Beth.

"Look, no-one talks crap about my sister, ok? No-one talks crap about you, no-one treats you badly or lays a finger on you."

Beth tried her hardest not to flinch at Maggie's words. She was smiling softly, so surely she didn't know about Jimmy, right?

"You're my little sister. I am fully allowed to perform my duty as the big sister."

With a smile Beth allowed Maggie to pull her into a hug, completely enveloped in a poignant moment. Until their bubble was well and truly burst by a bellowing voice.

"Girls, I would like to talk to you both."

X-X-X

Sat in front of their father, both girls feared what was next – they had convinced themselves Hershel had found out about their little trips into the woods.

"Now we've all known our guests were only temporary. Well, I have been talking with Rick about their leaving and we have agreed that the group will be moving on tomorrow."

After a moment of relief knowing their secret was safe they turned their focus to their fathers words.

"Is Carl healed enough to travel already?" asked Maggie.

"He has healed well, no need to worry yourselves about that anymore," Hershel tried to comfort.

"Are you sure they should go back out there?" Both Maggie and Hershel snapped their attention to Beth at her question.

"Well blackbird, Rick said they're feeling rested enough, they've gathered enough supplies-"

"No daddy," Beth interrupted. "I mean, do you really think we should let them back out into everything happening out there?"

Maggie reached for her hand under the table, giving a reassuring squeeze.

"I understand you girls have always had such big hearts, but you also know that you can't always help everyone," Hershel tried to placate. "Unfortunately it's not how the world works."

"Not how it work _ed_ daddy," Beth's voice rising.

"The world's changed now," Maggie quickly took over, hoping to diffuse the growing situation. "I know you want to keep us safe here, but it doesn't mean we should become oblivious to what's happening."

The room delved into silence as Hershel tried to grasp what he had just heard, perhaps most shocked that this was coming from his own daughters.

"Now listen," he hollered once he had finally returned back to the situation at hand. "This is my home and my land. And whilst I am the head of this family my decision is final."

"That may be true, but it doesn't mean we agree with you," Maggie calmly replied.

"You are my daughters, my only daughters, my responsibility. And I am keeping you safe. Having strangers here puts us in jeopardy, especially you Bethy."

"Me?" Beth countered, her eyebrows scrunching in annoyance. She was determined to keep her voice as level and calm as possible. "You mean what happened in the barn?"

Hershel quickly averted his eyes to the table.

"We need to talk about it daddy. It wasn't an 'incident', something you've been avoiding talking about. It happened. And if you kick the group off the farm it could happen to them. Only they probably wouldn't survive it, would they?"

Beth stood from her chair, finally gaining back her father's full attention, making eye contact.

"Both Beth and me aren't little girls anymore," Maggie interjected. "We know what's out there, the constant danger we're all living in now."

"If you actually think the group leaving is for the best, for _anyone_ , then I'm actually disappointed daddy."

She turned and left the room, followed closely by Maggie. Hershel stayed, staring at the wall, and trying to make sense of his daughters' words.

* * *

 **I just wanted to clarify one or two things - firstly, I believe Maggie and Glenn rushed into their marriage so quickly on the show that maybe it created a separation between her and Beth (and Hershel)? I'm not sure, but either way I have made Beth and Maggie's relationship strong and feel like her and Glenn WILL happen, just not so fast.**


	8. Chapter 8 - Late Departure

**Here's the next chapter. A slight bit of action - I'm planning on a LOT more action within the next couple of chapters. With Daryl AND Beth...**

* * *

Peeking round the curtains at her window, Beth watched the group preparing to leave. Like de ja vu. It only felt like yesterday that she watched them arrive from this same spot, and now they were going to have to face the dangers of the outside world again.

"Hey," said Maggie from the doorway. "Not really sure what daddy wants us to do, haven't seen him this morning. But I thought we should go say good-bye."

"Yeah, I'll be down in a second," Beth replied before finally turning to look at her sister. "I wish we didn't have to. I mean, not go say goodbye, but, ya know…"

"Yeah. Me too," sighed Maggie. "Come on. Best get down there."

X-X-X

He didn't have a whole lot of stuff to pack, he'd never even been attached to things before the world collapsed. His thoughts were currently occupied with his desperate lacking in cigarettes, looking at the dwindling number he had left and reluctantly lighting one of his precious few.

Looking around he saw people rambling about and preparing to leave. But his attention was quickly caught by their evictor as he stomped into view from the woods, visibly muttering to himself and swinging his arms with purpose, making a bee-line for the house.

Making a bee-line for the farmer's daughters on the porch.

 _Things could be about to get interesting_.

X-X-X

Maggie and Lori had been pretty much hogging the goodbye between the women, leaving Carol, Andrea and Beth to stand in silence and exchange looks of emotion.

"We really can't say how much we appreciate everything you've done for us," said Lori as she broke her hug with Maggie. "Everything. On top of helping us, you've been so kind and welcoming, the both of you."

"Did you manage to speak to Jimmy yet sweety?" Carol interjected after a moment of poignant glances. Beth could feel her eyebrows crease and raise – somehow together – in surprise.

"You're asking me about Jimmy? Now, in the grand scheme of things?"

"Well, when you've been out there as long as we have, it was a welcome relief to have some girly gossip with you two," explained Andrea with a laugh. "Besides, at the end of the day we're still females. So, spill with the details."

All five women burst into laughter, a very welcome occurrence given the current circumstances leading to their little gathering.

"No, not yet. Actually I was gonna do it this morning, but I can't find him anywhere."

"Hmmm," pondered Maggie. When all eyes turned to her she explained. "It's just, I looked all over the place for dad and, I didn't realise it before now but, I haven't seen either of them this morning. Dad or Jimmy."

"Well it looks like one of your searches have ended," said Carol. The sisters followed her line of sight and turned to see their father, marching up towards them wearing an expression neither girl had ever seen. Anger? Worry? Frustration even?

"Girls, get back inside the house please," bellowed Hershel as he reached the porch steps. "Now. If you'll excuse me ladies, but I need to talk to my daughters. Alone."

Once some concerned looks and nods had been exchanged between the women, Hershel ushered them into the house and created worry between the two girls.

"I would _like_ to talk to you both about what happened last night," he began, rushing to his conclusion when he saw the tense look on his youngest's face. " _But_ we have a situation at hand. More urgent than our guests."

Both Beth and Maggie opened their mouths to argue, being cut off by their father.

"It's Jimmy," he quickly interjected.

"Jimmy?" queried Beth, feeling her heart begin to race. "What's happened? I couldn't find him this morning."

"Neither could I," explained Hershel, cutting short her ramblings. "Apparently he led Patricia to believe that he and I would be gathering up more infected. Except we'd never planned on that today, it looks like he went out there alone. Hours ago."

"He did what?!" screeched Maggie.

"We have to do something," Beth stated. "We'll-"

Loud knocking from down the hall interrupted her, as her father simply got up without a word or glance back at his daughters to answer the door.

"Beth we can't do anything," whispered Maggie as soon as he was out of earshot. "For all he knows we're both vulnerable. If we go out there and take down any walkers we come across he'll get suspicious. Know we've been out around them before."

"Right now I couldn't care less about that," countered Beth before her look of determination suddenly fell. "Except… Jimmy's probably been out there most of the morning and we don't know which direction he went."

They both sat looking at each other for a long moment, feeling defeated and helpless. Maggie could practically see Beth's mind racing, knowing she had an idea when the blonde suddenly gasped, a giddy smile spread across her face.

"I know who can help us!"

X-X-X

Knowing full well that Hershel wouldn't take too well to them interacting with most of the group they felt it necessary to simply do so without his knowledge. A lot easier said than done.

Beth and Maggie peaked round the side of the house, having – very quietly – sneaked out the back door. From here they could see Rick and their dad talking on the porch, and Daryl over near the rest of the group. Luckily for them the two patriarchs were huddled together in deep conversation at the opposite end of the house, hopefully giving them just enough opportunity to sneak in through the hustle and bustle to talk to the hunter.

"Daryl!"

The last thing he needed right now was to deal with Maggie Greene.

Turning with an aggravated sigh he had to physically stop himself from flinching. How had she managed to sneak up on him?

Maggie's stomping could be heard a mile away – surprising she hadn't brought more walkers on them. But surprisingly the little blonde stood much closer than he had expected, with the older sister trailing feet behind.

"We need your help," Maggie started. "This morning-"

"Nah," grunted Daryl, glancing between them and pretty much anywhere else. "I'm off this farm. Soon. Your daddy wants us off his land, I don't owe you nothing."

"It's Jimmy," said Maggie. Daryl suddenly stared straight at Beth, whose own eyes he could see widen just a little.

"He's missing. Since early this morning," Beth quickly explained. She was hoping she could stop him saying anything about their previous 'Jimmy' conversation in front of Maggie. "But you're a hunter, right? So, you know how to track?"

Daryl simply continued to stare at her. Both Maggie and Beth found themselves shuffling from side to side, squirming under his intense gaze and silence.

Before Beth decided to take back control of the situation.

"Look, I think you know what we're asking here," she said softly. "You can track, but you also know these woods. You go out hunting everyday."

"We don't know exactly where he went," explained Maggie, gaining back his attention from her sister. "But we can't find him on our own."

"MAGGIE! BETH!"

They quickly turned to see Hershel growing nearer, followed closely by Rick and Shane.

"You were both to stay in the house," he bellowed as he came to stand in front of them. "I told you two not to come out here with _them_."

They both saw the two former officers visibly flinch at his words – the two girls could only guess how the tough guy standing behind them was reacting.

"Look, Daryl," cut in Rick. "We're gonna be leaving real soon now."

"Wait, you're still gonna go?" Beth questioned, her voice filled with confusion.

"What about Jimmy?" Maggie chimed in.

"Has he done something? Something happened?" questioned Rick, Shane and him exchanging a look and stepping forward.

"This is a family matter," said Hershel. "With respect, this is none of your business."

"Is that the truth?" asked Rick. Even in this new world he let his cop instincts take over, stepping inches closer to Beth and Maggie with a hard glare.

"Beth, go on back to the house," said Hershel. He spoke low, but his tone was clear to everyone. She opened her mouth to speak, her eyes moving between the men in front of her. But the silence carried on as she felt torn between helping Jimmy by letting this group in, being the courteous, abiding daughter she was raised to be, and the look on her father's face. She'd seen that stern look before, but never aimed at her.

"Something 'bout him being lost," grunted Daryl from behind her – the first time she was actually relieved to hear his voice.

"We have it under control-"

"No, we don't daddy," sighed Maggie. "He went out into the woods early this morning. Me and Beth came out here to ask for Daryl's help."

"Rick, I know you're all getting ready to leave. _Really_ soon," Beth spoke up. "But we don't know how to find Jimmy without your help."

Peering over her shoulder she was lightly shocked to see Daryl already staring at her, his brow scrunched in thought.

"We're all about ready to leave," Shane retorted, breaking through the confusing hold between Beth and the hunter. "Hershel, if you don't want us involved then that's your choice."

"No," said Maggie. "You can't just leave knowing he's missing out there. Your group are the only people who can help us."

"Daryl," said Rick, cutting through the moments of silence. "You ok to go back out in the woods to search?"

"Yeah, no problem," grunted Daryl. "I'll, uh, go now. Better start tracking sooner than later."

They all watched him walk away, crossbow slung over his shoulder, before turning back to the conversation at hand.

"Hershel I understand you said you didn't want our help," said Rick. "But _you_ need to understand that we can't leave knowing you got someone lost out there."

Shane huffed and shuffled from foot to foot, his hands on his hips and a smirk on his face.

"Look Rick, " he said. "If Hershel here doesn't want our help, then we should respect his wishes – on _his_ land – and leave like we planned."

"You know we can't leave while someone's lost, possibly in trouble," asserted Rick, his tone firm. "Besides, we couldn't leave right now anyway. Not while Daryl's not here."

"I'd appreciate your help," Hershel spoke up with a visible sigh, and surprising both of his daughters. "I know we agreed on your departure today – and obviously your group are preparing to leave – but I doubt I would find Jimmy on my own."

Shane's head whipped round to look at Hershel.

"Ok. We'll do what we can to help," offered Rick, before turning and walking away, Shane close on his heels. His head whipped back to frown at the girls before carrying on after Rick.

"Girls, I understand you're worried," said Hershel, keeping his focus on the retreating cops. "You were doing what _you thought_ was right. But I'm sure you understand my feelings about how you went about all this. We'll talk about this at another time."

Hershel walked back to the house without a single glance in the girls' direction.

X-X-X

Daryl had been tracking Jimmy for some time now. He'd managed to pick up on his trail pretty quickly, but between having to take care of some walkers along the way and the sheer length of the tracks, he'd been out here over an hour.

 _How far out did this kid come?_

The glint of something silver at his feet made him stop, seeing that it was jewellery of some sort. Stooping to pick it up it was a necklace with a wishbone pendant, so delicate looking in his large hand. He cast his eyes beyond the object in front of him and saw the tracks ahead become disorientated.

 _Wishbones are lucky right?_

Pocketing the necklace, he continued on with his task.

He didn't understand why he was even doing this. The group was so close to going, leaving the farm – and the family in it – far behind. And in the blink of an eye their plans had changed.

Daryl had always thrived off his alone time, it helped keep him sane, especially being outside. But being back out in these woods in order to search for Jimmy just rubbed him the wrong way, creating an anger deep within him, unsettling him when he couldn't pinpoint who exactly the feeling was aimed at.

Putting things into perspective, this was the same Jimmy he knew had put his hands on a girl. All he'd ever seen of this boy he was being a pain in the ass, causing all kinds of trouble. Like right now.

Suddenly a curious thought broke through his rambling mind – _What's he even doing out here?_

Daryl's hunter ears had been hearing the trickle of water for minutes now, but as Jimmy's tracks came straight up toward a drop, he hoped he was putting 2 and 2 together and making 5.

But the earth was showing signs of a struggle (with a walker) and looking over the edge he saw the boy in question lying in a heap at the bottom.

Strangely enough, whilst he was currently unconscious and most likely injured, Jimmy had _luckily_ managed to avoid the walker at the root of this. It's boney arms were trying without success to reach for Jimmy from it's spot tangled up in the braches of an uprooted tree. As he carefully shuffled down the ravine Daryl could clearly see the braches piercing through it's ribs, effectively anchoring it in place.

Putting the walker out of it's pathetic existence, silencing the moans from it's wooden cage, Daryl dragged Jimmy up and onto dry ground.

His arm looked almost certainly broken, but most serious was the knife currently protruding from his side. Daryl knew that the fact the knife was still in there was probably keeping the bleeding at bay, while removing it could do more damage. So, hauling the boy up as best as he could, Jimmy's head and arm resting around Daryl's shoulder, he started his treck back to the farm.

It was a little slow going, particularly whenever a walker would come stumbling across their path and Jimmy would be left slumped on the ground while Daryl handled the situation. But when the farm finally became visible in the distance, he honestly felt relieved to see it for the first time.

He made his way across the field, catching his second wind and looking forward to making this kid someone else's responsibility.

Jimmy had been drifting in and out of semi-consciousness for the past couple of miles, mainly when his dragging feet would bump over rocks and branches. But as Daryl was getting him across the expanse of grass the teenager finally came to, and in a particularly panicked state.

"Whhhaaaa… wheeerr…" Jimmy slurred as he groggily lifted his head and shifted slightly against Daryl's hold.

"Nearly there," grumbled Daryl, frustrated further by the squirming pain in the ass. "Jus' shut up and walk."

"NO! NO!" Jimmy yelled. His arms started flailing about and pushing away from Daryl's grasp. "It'll get me! Let me go! NO!"

He swung around in front of the hunter, coming face to face and blocking his view of the house.

"Stop, ya gotta shut up," Daryl tried to reason, grasping the boy's shoulders and trying to stop his loud struggle. What happened next just made the current blur of activity more complicated. And somehow managed to piss off Daryl even further.

The sound of a distant shot rang out, managing to grab his attention for a second before Daryl felt a sharp pain in his left arm. His grasp on Jimmy wavered, thinking he'd dropped him when the teen collapsed in the grass.

But the blood seeping into his hair explained it;

Jimmy hadn't collapsed. He'd been shot. 

* * *

**So as you can probably guess right now, obviously it's Andrea doing the shooting. But I have my reasons for Jimmy being the one worst injured, because we're gonna need a healthier Daryl for the next few parts.**

 **Until next time folks.**


	9. Chapter 9 - Taking Charge

**Hi once agin! I've had a severe case of writers block recently, I can see it all in my head but when it comes to actually writing it down I draw a blank! But here it is.**

 **And I've had a few reviews saying they don't like Hershel much in this story, but you're kind of not meant to at the minute. I feel he was slightly harsher/stricter in season 2 anyway, but here Beth and Maggie are much more 'take charge' than in the series, so he simply doesn't know how to react to that or try to control them. Plus he doesnnt know how to deal with losing his wife and Shawn, and Beth getting bit so... yeah, he'll get better soon, I promise.**

* * *

The shots echoed throughout the farm. The group pouring over maps in the dining room – Hershel, Rick, Shane, T-Dog, Maggie and Beth – didn't even take the time to share a glance or ask questions before they rushed out onto the porch.

"Rick!" called Lori as she and Carol ran up towards the house.

"Where's Carl? We heard shots," rasped Rick.

"He's over there with Sophia," pointed Carol. The two cops and T-Dog made their way down the steps, trying to decipher the situation. "We don't know what's happening. We just heard the shots too, we think they came from over by the R.V."

The three men sprinted in the direction of the vehicle, meeting Andrea and Dale as they both stepped down into the grass.

"I got it," exclaimed Andrea with a proud smile. "I saw it lunging at Daryl, and it took me a couple 'a shots, but, I got it!"

"A walker? You shot a walker, attacking Daryl?" questioned Shane. The confusion was clearly evident – Andrea was still fully getting to grips with firing a gun, and Daryl was more than capable of taking care of himself. But Andrea's smiling face was their only confirmation.

"Well I didn't see, just heard the shots," explained Dale as Rick turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

They continued forward on their mission to where they could see Daryl hunched in the grass.

"Daryl! Did it get you?" shouted Rick as they ran toward him.

"Who the fuck shot?!" Daryl demanded, obviously creating some further confusion as the men came to stand by him and the walker. "You fuckin' idiots! Who did it?"

Getting closer Rick felt the impulse to reach for his gun at the sight of the crumpled figure, still showing signs of life – or movement at least.

"I go out to find this kid and you morons decide to try killin' him?!"

Their weapons lowered, the men moved round the hunched archer and saw the missing teen with a knife in his side and a bloodied head – the latter of which was currently being staunched by Daryl.

"What the hell did you do?" challenged Shane.

"The fuck you say to me?" growled Daryl, looking up from Jimmy. "I found him, not any 'a yous. _Officer_. And then y'all go and shoot me for my troubles, AND shoot the kid at the centre of it all."

Rick moved forward to join Daryl with Jimmy, leaving Shane seething.

"I'll go warn Hershel what state he's in," said T-Dog, who turned and made his way back to the house.

"Where did you find him?" asked Rick. He was hoping that getting straight to the point would diffuse the situation – particularly the growing rage from his former partner.

"Looks like he got into a fight with a walker," Daryl muttered with a sigh. "Stabbed himself falling down a ravine. Now are ya gonna help me get him up to the house or just have me carry on helping him on my own?"

X-X-X

Beth could feel her heart pounding. From the porch they could see the guys run out past the R.V. and out into the grass, arguing and hunching over something. But it wasn't really until T-Dog started sprinting back towards them that the anxiety truly took hold.

"Hershel," T-Dog gasped, panting. "We're gonna need your help."

The sisters were left behind, simply taking in the actions unfolding in front of them.

"What the hell's going on," muttered Maggie.

"He must be hurt," stuttered Beth, suddenly feeling out of breath. "If dad's needed… how badly hurt is he-"

"Daddy knows what he's doing," Maggie soothed. "I know things are weird between you two, but he's strong. We'll do whatever we can to help."

"Yeah, yeah you're right," agreed Beth. "We've definitely had some weird conversations recently."

"Well, he knows how much you really care," said Maggie. She turned to look at Beth, who in turn simply appeared confused, a questioning look on her face.

"You have known each other for years Blackbird," smiled Maggie. "Having some fights over stuff that's now so trivial in today's world just eventually won't matter."

"Thanks Magpie," smiled Beth.

Maggie sauntered down the steps to join Lori and Carol on the drive, Carl and Sophia not far away. In the near distance T-Dog and Hershel had joined Dale and Andrea by the R.V, talking over one another and watching as Rick and Shane hauled a bleeding Jimmy up and out of the grass, Daryl rising behind them.

All the while Beth was left on the porch, alone, thinking about Maggie's concerns for Jimmy. While hers had been all about Daryl.

X-X-X

As the men approached the R.V. Andrea's barricade of questions began.

"I don't understand!" she exclaimed as Dale reached for her arm, trying to hold her back out of their path. "It was a clean shot-"

"Clean shot?" interrupted Shane. "Your so-called clean shot not only failed to kill, but it failed to kill a _living_ person Andrea."

"What? No. No, I saw Daryl out there, one of them walkers was lunging at him. So I shot and it missed first time, but I got it the second time!"

"IT was Jimmy," seethed Daryl, trailing behind the cops and patient. "Lucky for you you're still a shit shot, ya only managed to graze us."

"Us?" enquired Hershel. He stepped further forward to see the blood on Daryl's arm and get a closer look at Jimmy. "Get him on up to the house, put him in the spare room."

He turned to lead the way, the group of men marching towards the house, with Daryl bringing up the rear. As they neared the property he tuned to veer off with his tent in sight.

"You too Daryl!"

Whether or not Hershel had eyes in the back of his head, his words had the hunter stop dead in his tracks, watching their retreating forms and contemplating his options. Most of the group were dispersing, pretty much leaving him to himself. All except Beth, who had been staring at him from her spot on the porch. Maggie came up to speak to her, breaking their strange hold as he watched the blonde turn and go inside, leaving Maggie to take her place.

He took a deep breath and walked up to the house, all the while trying to avoid her gaze.

"Look, your dad invited me in, but, I'm gonna just head back to my tent-"

"No," Maggie firmly replied. "For starters you need to have that arm looked at. And secondly, you look like shit. More so than usual. So your gonna come into this house, get your arm fixed, have a shower after God knows how long, and rest up. And if it makes you feel any better, I promise you can go back to your little tent afterwards."

"So what? I'm supposed to just start being ordered about here?" he growled, trying to mask his surprise at her outburst. "Way I see it I just did your family a big favour. Now ya think you can tell me what to do? I don't owe you or your dad nothing."

"You seriously think you'd be doing _me_ a favour?" She looked down and sighed, before explaining more softly. "She didn't say anything, but I know my sister."

Daryl's ears perked. "Beth was real worried about you. She's known Jimmy almost her whole life, but it was you she was thinking about out there."

Maggie turned to head inside, turning back to look at him from the door.

"I don't know what it is between you two – I mean she's hardly even mentioned your name to me – but just do what my daddy says. Just this once. She has enough on her plate at the moment, so please put her mind at rest."

Daryl stood frozen to the spot for several long moments, feeling his mind swimming in confusion, before his feet went into autopilot.

Next thing he knew he had found himself standing on the porch with his bag of belongings – having somehow been back to his tent in a blur – and reaching for the door. All the while telling himself this was his decision, taking advantage of the invitation and trying to placate the old man.

This had nothing to do with the little blonde, the one who at this moment was inside this very house.

X-X-X

Voices could be heard coming from the bedroom, mainly her father's. But it did worry Beth how she hadn't heard a thing from Jimmy. When it was clear Rick wasn't leaving the room, Hershel had asked Beth to switch places with Maggie. So as she came dragging her feet down the stairs she was so deep in thought that the sound of the door made her visibly jump.

"Oh, hi," she muttered nervously. Daryl was stood in the doorway, obviously feeling as uncomfortable as she was. "Um, my dad's just with Jimmy. Sooo…"

"Yeah," be rumbled, turning his back to close the door. His mere movement suddenly made her realise how clumsy she must look stopped on the stairs like a deer caught in the headlights. "He said for me to come in. Yer sister pretty much ordered me to get cleaned up in here."

"Oh, of course!" she said, suddenly more animated. She'd heard her dad invite him in but seeing him stood there it was as if her brain had stopped functioning correctly.

"Well-"

"Oh, so you decided to take up the invitation huh?" interrupted Maggie. "Daddy says he can have Shawn's room Bethy."

She was gone as soon as she'd appeared, going back to helping Hershel.

"It's up here," she almost stuttered, turning clumsily on the stairs back the way she just came.

 _Smooth Beth_ she thought.

"Here," as she stopped at the door. "The bathroom's at the end of the hall. I'm sure my dad will look at your arm for you when he can."

As she neared the stairs again she was sure she heard a faint "Thanks". It sounded as awkward as she felt, but surely she must have just imagined it.

X-X-X

It felt odd. Being freshly showered, in a family home. Waiting now for someone to check his injury. It was all something he never properly had growing up, so who'd have guessed he's be experiencing it in the middle of a god-damn apocalypse?

For the last few minutes Daryl had gone from sitting on the bed (in complete stillness), to looking out the window (yet again, in still discomfort), to becoming engrossed in the objects throughout the room. To be more exact, the photographs. Shawn with his friends, Shawn with his teammates, and Shawn with his family. More importantly, Shawn with his sisters. It was obvious that something must have happened for them to go from the happy girls in these pictures, to the ones who now seemed so off with those around them, particularly their father. It was probably just losing some of their family.

He looked at the photo centred around Shawn, other teenagers surrounding him, including his younger sister hanging around on the outskirts, her expression just not matching the grins on the others' faces. The younger sister he'd embarrassed himself with. A weedy "Thanks" as an inept afterthought that she probably didn't even hear, but embarrassed himself with none-the-less.

Hershel's knocking at the door abruptly pulled him from his thoughts, mentally chastising himself for being so caught up over something so unimportant.

X-X-X

Beth could hear doors opening and closing, but it was the echo of footsteps coming down the stairs that made her pause. She had been cleaning – or more accurately, stress cleaning – the kitchen, stopping for only a moment before carrying on.

"Bethy?" Hershel said from the doorway. "Not seen you cleaning like that since you were practicing for the talent show."

"How is he?" she murmured.

"Not so good Blackbird," replied Hershel as he took a seat at the table, gesturing for her to join him. "He's stable for the moment, Maggie's in there with him right now."

"And is Daryl ok?" she asked, trying to sound casual after a moment of silence.

"It was much more of a graze, nothing a cleanup and a couple of stitches couldn't handle. If anything I was more concerned about his fatigue so he's just resting right now."

Hershel studied his youngest as she nodded at his words, while her worried gaze stayed aimed at the table between them.

"You know honey, I can't promise you that Jimmy will even make it through the night."

"I know," Beth quietly replied. She looked up and wiped away the single tear that had managed to escape her glassy eyes.

"I know you don't agree with my decisions, or understand them. But what we are doing is for the best. Even if Jimmy shouldn't have gone out there on his own-"

"Please, just don't," Beth all but begged, her voice cracking. "You're right. I don't… agree, with what you've been doing. Any of it. But right now, I don't want to talk about that. I don't want to listen to you try to justify everything while my friend is," she paused to breathe through the tears, "most likely dying."

Hershel looked at his youngest before him. Her tear-stained face, her slumped and quite obviously exhausted posture. But most importantly the pleading look in her eyes that he had never seen there before.

Maybe she was right – about the timing thing. He probably shouldn't be trying to talk to her about it all while she was so worried about Jimmy.

"I'll go relieve your sister for a while," he spoke softly while pushing up from the table. "I'll check how he is and stay with him through the night honey."

Neither one knew what else to say before Hershel left the room. Beth could hear the door opening and closing, followed by murmuring voices, and in that moment she tried to decide whether she was ready for an emotional heart to heart with her sister - a conversation she just couldn't face right now – or try to move undetected by Maggie to be alone.

It took her all of two seconds to go with her gut – her exhausted, rolling gut – and make a dash for the stairs.

"Oh, sorry," Beth mumbled as she bumped into something. Someone. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even think for one moment who it could be. In fact she didn't even _think to say_ 'sorry', it was more of a subconscious, automatic reaction as she moved to carry on down the hall.

"Hold up girl," the someone in question grunted as they grabbed for her wrist, making her finally look up from the floor. "Somethin' happen to the boy? Your dad said he got him stable."

Obviously her puffy red eyes hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Oh, no!" she quickly explained. "He's ok at the minute, but, well, it's really still touch and go."

He nodded in response, not knowing what else he was to do, never knowing how to comfort anyone in distress. Particularly not an emotional teenage girl. How old was she anyway…

"Are you ok?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "With your arm, I mean."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Yer asking me about my arm when yer friend's been hurt so bad?"

Ghe simply shrugged.

"Guess I'm just trying to keep my mind off of it. Nothing else I can do, right?"

"What was he doing out there anyway?" enquired Daryl, trying not to sound too abrasive.

"I don't know," lied Beth. "We haven't really talked properly recently. Although I guess you kind of know that."

"Yeah, about that-"

"Bethy, you up there?" Maggie's voice from downstairs cut off Daryl's remark, visibly making Beth flinch.

"Yeah, Mags. I'm just gonna get some sleep for a while", Beth called down.

The two returned to looking at each other, Beth waiting for the Daryl to finish his sentence. When he didn't say anything and simply turned to leave, she followed his lead and went to her own room.

X-X-X

The next morning felt much the same as the night before. Jimmy wasn't deteriorating at a fast rate but then he definitely wasn't going to be improving any time soon either, caught up in a state of limbo.

Beth was out on the porch, watching from her spot sat on the steps as some of Rick's group gathered around the vehicles.

"Hey," said Carol sitting down next to her. "How are you doing with all this?"

"Honestly?" replied Beth. "I really don't know. With all the stuff that's been happening with the two of us, my head is just spinning knowing that it's _Jimmy_ in there, you know? Like the only thing I can get straight in my mind is that I don't want another person round here to die."

"No sweety, it makes complete sense," answered Carol. "Rick's talking right now about how to get the meds Jimmy needs."

Without a word Beth stood and marched over to the group, Carol following close behind in confusion.

"I want to help," she asserted. The circle turned to look at her, their puzzlement matching Carol's.

"Well, we're discussing it at the moment Beth," explained Rick. "But your dad said we'd have to go further out for the meds he needs."

"I can help, really," she asserted. "I know-"

"Beth!"

Maggie sounded worried as she came up behind her, catching everyone's attention. Lori was following close behind - no doubt she had rushed to get Maggie.

"What are you talking about?" Maggie asked. "You can't go, you know daddy will never let you."

"And _you_ know that I can get around the hospital better than anyone here," Beth whispered. "Please, I need to do something. Just, back me up here."

With Beth's eyes pleading, Maggie sighed and nodded her head.

"My dad's not going to like it but, Beth's right," Maggie addressed the group. "She can really help you on this trip. But I'm going too!"

"What?" hissed Beth. "No, you can't-"

"Look, we're trying to come up with a serious plan here, ok?" snarked Shane. "We don't need some chick-fight right now."

"Everyone calm down," Rick interjected. "We don't want to be doing something to upset Hershel. I don't know if it's such a good idea."

"Either way we're going," stated Maggie. "If any of your group comes along with us, ok. But we're prepared to go alone if we have to."

The silence hung over the group as they mulled over Maggie's words.

"I'm going too," Glenn stepped forward.

"Yeah, me too," hollered Daryl. It was his words that none of them saw coming. "My arm's fine, and y'all are gonna need me out there if you expect to come back alive."

"OK, " agreed Rick.

"You can't actually be agreeing to this," Lori objected. "These girls can't go out there, it's too dangerous for them."  
"It's dangerous for anyone," countered Beth. "The truth is that you need us for this. We know the way, the hospital layout, the exact meds. And besides, Jimmy is our friend, you can't stop us from doing this."

"Well, there's on thing I know," said Dale, previously overlooked at the edge of the group. Everyone turned to look at him, partly awaiting some words of wisdom from the older group member.

"I won't be the one to break it to Hershel."

* * *

 **So now I absolutely, 100%, guarantee more action in the next chapter.**

 **ON a side note - I'm working on another story, obviously another Bethyl set in their teens. I'm only a couple chapters in at the moment, but I'm feeling a little impatient. So I had the idea of uploading the first chapter HERE for a few days or a week to get your reactions and then take it down until I can upload it all as a separate story. Does that make any sense or sound like something you'd have a look at?**

 **Looking forward to any reviews and advice x**


	10. Chapter 10 - A change of scenery

**I know, I know... FINALLY!**

* * *

They had mapped out a plan with the group and made a list of supplies from the hospital, making sure that they were armed before they left. Everything was set in place for the four of them to leave but one thing that they had all prepared for definitely did not go to plan.

Beth and Maggie along with Rick and Daryl headed inside to talk to Hershel about the decision.

"Daddy, can we talk to you please?" asked Maggie. He followed her out of Jimmy's room to be met by the small group.

"Rick," greeted Hershel. "What do you need to discuss with me that would involve my daughters?"

"Well sir, we have made plans for getting what Jimmy needs," explained Rick, somewhat hesitantly. "But, it does involve your daughters."

"Daddy before you say anything just hear us all out first. Please," Maggie jumped in.

Hershel's silence surprised them all but they took their opportunity.

"Well, we've figured where's best to get the drugs," said Rick. "And Maggie and Beth will help get them."

"Who else is going?" asked Hershel with his gaze set firmly on Rick.

"Me and Glenn," Daryl spoke up. "Be leaving soon if we wanna get back before tonight."

Hershel was still to look away from Rick or speak a word in return. After a few moments he closed his eyes and pinched his nose, as if he was ready to respond, but instead he turned his back on them to return to Jimmy's room and closed the door behind him.

Nobody knew how to react, understandably.

"We best be leaving then," spoke Maggie as she walked to the door with Rick hot on her heels.

Daryl started after them but he stopped when he didn't hear footsteps behind him.

"C'mom," he grunted over his shoulder. That seemed enough to break through Beth's daze. She swallowed loudly, thinking she could stop the emotions she felt bubbling to the surface, and followed after him.

The group readied to leave as planned with no-one discussing Hershel or what had just happened, which suited Beth just fine.

"Hershel sent me out," came Patricia's voice from behind Rick. He'd been talking to Daryl behind the wheel, but the sound of the woman's voice made Beth look up from the back seat.

"He wanted me to make sure you got these," she explained as Rick stepped aside. She gave Daryl a small pill bottle. "Pain meds, for your arm. Just in case."

She walked back to the house without another word or, more noticeably, a look back at the Beth and Maggie in the back of the car.

Driving away the sisters found their hands clasped together across the seat as they tried to put away their feelings to focus on their task ahead.

X-X-X

The journey had been mostly silent other than the occasional directions from Maggie. Glenn had realised his failed attempts at conversation were falling on deaf ears and had given up trying, while of course Daryl's silence was nothing out of the ordinary. The hospital was a 40 minute drive through back roads and farming country. Luckily it wasn't situated in the city but they still saw a rise in walker numbers as they got nearer, thankfully there didn't appear to be any visible swarms in the vicinity.

"'Kay, y'all better be ready," grunted Daryl as he pulled the truck up to the front of the hospital. There were only a couple of walkers that they could see outside and they were still too far away to bother with.

"Ok, we wanna head to the left once we get inside," explained Maggie.

"Take the stairs up to the 3rd floor and head right down to the end of the hall. The meds should be in one of the rooms on that ward," said Beth.

They cautiously entered the hospital lobby and took in their surroundings. There were some chairs overturned in a far corner and paper scattered around the reception desk to their right, all in all not a whole lot of damage. But it was the silence that felt most out of place – no phones ringing or people talking and moving around just seemed so eerie. The stairs were down a dark corridor to their left, whilst looking to the right the glass lying smashed on the floor reflected bright sunlight pouring in through the office windows.

"Great, the stairs have to be down the _dark_ corridor," whinged Glenn.

"Fairly certain the guy who designed this place didn't take into account the circumstances of an apocalypse," replied Maggie, offering a joking smile. It seemed to give them all a moment to breath amidst all the tension. Daryl readied his crossbow and started moving towards the stairs, followed closely by the others, until the shuffling noise behind them broke through the quiet.

Two security workers – or at least they were in a past life – were stumbling up behind them. Their soft moans were almost being drowned out by the crunching glass under their dragging feet.

Glenn and Daryl quickly dealt with the immediate danger, noting how their knives splintered the barrier of their skulls. There was hardly any blood on them, their skin more pale than grey and clothes still rather neat. Obviously these men hadn't been dead very long.

It didn't take long to notice the obvious absence of their female cohorts.

"Where'd they go?" Daryl grunted as he looked up and strode into the direction of the offices.

Beth was peering through the blinds at the window watching the walkers at the far end of the car park. There was only the same ones as before, no more no less, just bumbling about in the distance and seemingly paying no attention to the building.

At the sound of footsteps she turned to see an angry archer narrowing in on her.

"The fuck you playing at girl?" Daryl quietly growled. "Think you can just wander off when ya feel like it?"

"Firstly, there was no 'wandering' of any kind." How was it he always managed to get on her last nerve? "We checked these offices and maybe you'd like to know that they're clear. And secondly, before you start accusing me of losing my focus, I've also checked outside. No more walkers out there than when we arrived."

It appeared to her that she'd been moving during her little speech because she now found herself almost toe-to-toe with him.

"Don't mean you can go off on your own," he grumbled. To an outsider he would definitely seem intimidating. But Beth was determined she would not be affected. "You two gotta' stick by me and Glenn, be in our sights at all times."

"See, that's where it doesn't add it," she calmly replied. "You both volunteered to come. Ok. But neither of you have freaked out over Maggie and me being here too. Which makes me think that, if you ever thought for one moment we couldn't take care of ourselves, you'd _never_ have even let us be here."

Daryl looked down at her big blue eyes staring up at him. There'd been no malice or attitude to her words. She'd spoken so openly in that sing-song voice of hers that he could feel his anger lowering. It was still there, only accompanied with… frustration?

He wiped a hand over his face and sighed. "Look, I aint gonna go treating ya both all fragile, aint no room for that in this world no more. But I'm also gonna need you in my sight, got that?"

"Whatever you say Mr Dixon," Beth smiled at him.

He followed her back out to meet Glenn and Maggie – making sure to wipe the smirk from his face of course – where Glenn was hunched over one of the (ex) security men.

"Figured these could come in handy," he beamed at them. He held up two walkie-talkies. "Still work, I guess they didn't die until recently and kept these charged off the generators."

"Looks like you come in handy for something," said Maggie with a smile.

"Well when you're both done with the googly eyes, how 'bouts we actually get on with this, huh?" Daryl raised an eyebrow with a smirk as he looked between the two.

Beth held up her hand to her face. She was able to hold in her laughter but if Maggie saw her smiling it would just get her more riled up at Daryl's comment.

"Fine," said Maggie. She started back in the direction of the stairs with Glenn trailing behind as he scrambled up off the floor and jammed his find in his backpack.

"Ok, there's a few supply rooms where we could find what we're after," whispered Maggie as they came to the floor they needed.

"It could be in any number of rooms along this floor," Beth huffed quietly.

"Should split up," grunted Daryl. "Sticking together will take too long. Just make sure we stay on this floor."

Glen retrieved the radios and handed one to Daryl.

"Might as well make use of these," he explained. "If me and Maggie search down this way, you two head down there…" he tapered off.

Daryl considered it for a moment before nodding. "'Kay. Better if the two of you stick with me and Glenn. If one of us finds the meds then let the other know. The less time we spend here the better."

The two men turned and headed in their opposite directions. Beth could tell Maggie wasn't too thrilled to be left alone with her wannabe suitor, but with a mouthed "Good luck" and a sigh she headed after him. Beth hurried to catch up with Daryl, not much in the mood to get on his bad side.

He wasn't exactly thrilled to be paired with Beth but Daryl did feel just a little relieved he could keep an eye on her. It was no secret Hershel didn't want them off the farm, however knowing he could keep an eye on her out here felt like their best chance of getting her back home in one piece.

"Weird," muttered Beth. "It looks like no-one's been through here."

The shelves were pretty well stocked with drugs and medical supplies, still lined up in their neat rows. It looked untouched which nowadays constituted a concern. But on the plus side it was easier to narrow down the options in front of them.

Daryl looked over his shoulder at Beth. "I'm not seeing it here."

"Me either," she sighed. "There should be some sort of, catalogue, right? Unless it was electronic…"

"Or not," he smirked. She looked round to see him stood behind the door with the files.

She moved to read them over his shoulder. "I guess they didn't have electronic. Or at least they had paper back ups, probably with it only being a small hospital."

"I'm not seeing it in here."

"We should still take some of these other things though, right?"

Daryl nodded and tossed the folder back on a shelf. "Have at it girl."

With their bags now feeling significantly heavier – thanks to their new supply of bandages, painkillers and medicines probably only Hershel would be able to pronounce – the two made their way further down the corridor in hopes of finding what they came for.

Shuffling sounds from a room further ahead had them stop dead in their tracks. They looked at each other. When the familiar groaning sounds followed they nodded their silent agreement and continued forward.

"Try the door. If it opens get out of the way and stay behind me."

She followed his directions. With her back to the wall she tried the handle and felt it give, making sure Daryl was ready she pushed it open and watched as he fired a bolt into the room. She assumed it hit its target when she could hear a thud and the archer marched forward.

There were three walkers scattered around the office, plus the fourth now crumpled on the floor. The bulky desk had been overturned and filing cabinets moved away from the wall. With all the paperwork scattered around and photo frames smashed everywhere there had obviously been some sort of struggle. So much so that one of the undead was pinned beneath the desk, still trying to crawl out from under the heavy wood.

Daryl quickly put a bolt through the head of a female as she rounded the furniture toward him. The third was sluggishly inching closer to the two scavengers, slowed down by the arm handcuffed to the handle of a locked filing drawer. The cuff was slicing away at the flesh as it pulled with little success. The jaw kept moving up and down, like in a mechanical rhythm, at the prospect of fresh food.

Meanwhile its feeble companion was desperately clawing at the floor in a bid to pull itself free. Considering these two weren't exactly an immediate danger Daryl ripped the bolt from the first kill and decided against using anymore of his precious ammo.

The knife pierced the skull easily and it banged loudly against the metal cabinet as it dropped lifeless. He turned and knelt by the final hazard. When he looked up to see Beth stood nearby he automatically followed her gaze to the frayed carpet where it had been trying to wrench it's way out, but it was where the legs were tearing that firmly held their attention. They could see through the torn skin at the muscle and tissue stretching and ripping, slowly separating the lower legs in a desperate bid for freedom.

Daryl put the thing out of its misery, not unlike the last kill. The silence it brought didn't last long when scuffling sounds cut through the air as another walker appeared behind Beth from an adjoining and previously unnoticed room. The door had been left ajar and as it stumbled it's way through she turned and in one swift move shoved her blade through the temple. It happened so fast that Daryl barely had time to stand before the danger was dealt with. She sheepishly tried to avoid his gaze while they checked the attached – now empty – washroom and they set about looking through the office.

Beth picked up a nameplate from amongst the desk's overturned objects. "Dr. David Phillman. Wonder which one he was… if he was one of them in here."

"D'unno. But guess he must have been a bigshot doctor to have an office with a big-ass desk and joined crapper."

"Not that it did him much good in the end," she smiled. He had such a way with words.

Daryl was silent for a long moment with his gaze firmly focused on the handcuffed walker now slumped to the ground with it's arm still raised, as if giving some macabre wave.

Beth cautiously approached him. "Ready to head back out?" She didn't know whether she should interrupt whatever was happening. Sensing he was deep in thought, she felt compelled to get his mind back on track. Admittedly she hadn't known him long, or very well, but it was obvious to Beth that Daryl Dixon, the man who she had up until now seen shouting, brooding, fierce, was going through something at this moment in time.

"Mm-mmm," he mumbled turning towards her. "Come on then."

X-X-X

From an onlooker's perspective it would look like she was concentrating hard on the task at hand. But in reality Maggie was doing everything she could to ignore the uncomfortable silence.

"Looks like it's not here," she uttered. "But we can take the meds here for my dad's supply."

Glenn looked over in her direction where she stood with her back to him, rummaging through the shelves, and strode over to join her.

"Not really sure what'll happen when we get back." He didn't know what he should say to her but it seemed the best way to address the elephant in the room.

She opened her mouth the say something – what exactly, she wasn't quite sure – but was cut off by the sound of a loud car horn.

Three trucks had pulled up out front and were currently being guarded by two intimidating guys. One was much taller than the other, looked older too. His arms were covered in tattoos, not the decent, shop-done kind, but rather the performed by a friend in a garage or cell quality. His companion was his opposite in every visible way, right down to the acne and weedy physique of a teenager. Although the bulky weaponry certainly made him look every bit as threatening as his co-guard.

"There's no telling how many of them there are," said Glenn from by the window, his voice showing a small hint of defeat. "Do you know any more exits in this place?"

"Yeah… yeah," stuttered Maggie. "We need to get Beth-"

""We got 'em." Daryl's whisper through the crackle of the radio cut off her nervous ramblings.

"Where are you now?" replied Glenn.

"Just heading back down towards you."

"Well we have company out front – live ones."

X-X-X

Maggie's strained voice spoke quickly. "Can't tell how many of these guys there are. We're near the emergency stairwell at this end. Should we come meet you back at-"

"Nah," Daryl interrupted. "Stay there, we'll come to you. They'll probably use the main stairs in here."

Beth hurried to catch up as he stalked off on a mission. She could feel the blood rushing in her head with worry and fear, and it felt like her heartbeat was echoing in her ears.

"…whatever shit ya can find."

It was faint but they stopped when they heard the distant voice. "Get as much as you can, clean the place out. If it's the really good shit then no-one's gonna mess with us. Leverage," the disembodied voice ordered with a chuckle.

Daryl's large hand wrapped around her arm and tugged her back and moved as silently as they could back in the direction they came. Beth was vaguely aware of her fingers desperately clutching the deadly blade in her left hand like a lifeline – hell, in this world it _is_ a lifeline. They passed room after room, all already familiar in their search just minutes ago, but it felt like there were so many more than she remembered as the couple tried to quickly put as much distance between them and their company.

Daryl's knuckles were white from the intense grip on his crossbow at his side, and like Beth, he wasn't aware of his other hand moving and currently encasing her smaller one as he anchored her to his side.

The voices and sounds of rummaging had luckily faded but they still carried on straight until they reached the stairwell on their side of the building. Neither one of them brought attention to their handholding as they moved apart and tried not to notice the sudden emptiness.

"Same set up as before," he said quietly. He moved to press his ear to the door but he couldn't pick up any noise before he moved back with his crossbow aimed high. "Can't hear nothing but we can't knock, can't take the risk of gaining attention. Open it and be ready."

Like a well-choreographed routine Beth opened the door and watched Daryl stride past. She held her breath and readied her knife while trying to calm her nerves and work up the courage to follow him.

"Shit."

"What the…" She looked at his jaw clenching and the tendons in his neck straining with frustration. The space was free from any undead threats but the stairs leading down to their exit route was completely blocked. Someone had piled a mass of furniture in the way – desks, tables, chairs, filing cabinets – it just went on and on. Whoever it was had taken a lot of time to set this up and done a thorough enough job that no-one would be able to slip through anywhere, and the two certainly couldn't move it any time soon.

"So what now?" she breathed.

Daryl made no attempt to answer her or even acknowledge her presence.

"Glenn? Glenn?" he hissed into the radio.

"Yeah we're here," Glenn whispered back. "Are you near?"

"Nah. Our company's made it to this floor, had to turn back. We're on the stairs at this side, but they're blocked."

"Blocked?" repeated Maggie. "What are you gonna do?"

Beth watched on in silence as Daryl looked quickly between the obstruction, up the free stairs and back again.

"Screw it." He quickly ascended the stairs two at a time. He was already nearing the first landing when her confusion dissolved and she managed to fumble the couple of feet to the staircase. Her breathing felt laboured with every step, just trying to keep up with him as they got higher. She kept her eyes on the back of her companion, focusing so intently on the stitched wings, until said wings stopped abruptly and twisted away from her.

"Hold still, be quiet."

Their eyes locked as they both listened intently. Daryl was certain he'd heard something – it was distant, but it was something. They were both positive they heard the next dragging noise that cut through the silence.

"Keep going."

"What?" she hissed. As Beth stayed rooted to the spot he brushed past her on his way back down the stairs.

"Keep going up. Head for the roof, I'll be right behind you."

She watched him slowly and meticulously descend the stairs with his crossbow still aimed steady the whole way. It bewildered her how even in the stairwell – in a hospital of all places – he still managed to look like a skilled hunter tracking his prey, out somewhere in nature, the great outdoors, the wilderness. Not in a claustrophobic space surrounded at all angles by thick, dull concrete.

Her eyes stayed glued to him until he disappeared from view but she felt torn what to do. He had instructed her, and she was aware of her feet moving up each step, but her thoughts were more focused on whether she should actually be leaving her partner to fend for himself against God knows what. What if it was more walkers? But when she thought back it did sound more like furniture being purposely moved across a room, and last time she checked it wasn't really possible for a walker to feng shui. So if it was a person then where were they, was there more than one, were they headed this way? The steps were merging into a blur beneath her feet and her mind was racing, but she heard the low moans just further ahead and quickly readied herself for what lay ahead.

It sounded weak and when Beth rounded up on it she saw why.

In a former life it had been a nurse, but now it was a limbless shell of a human being. Half the face was torn, showing the muscle and tissue underneath, her jaw hanging at one side. Only the upper part of the right arm was still there, leaving it harmless and pathetic where it lay on its side just looking up at her. But at the sight of the plastic hanging from the neck Beth felt her own limbs lock in place.

The sound of Daryl's boots thumped closer behind her but she still coudn't move.

"What's the hold-up?"

Wordlessly and without a single glance back at him Beth simply continued her way upwards, prompting him to take care of the pitiful carcass and follow after her.

They could still hear distant voices at every floor they arrived at pushing them to quicken their pace higher and higher until they couldn't go anymore.

"So what, we just… hang out up here?" whispered Beth.

"…of junk outside… anyone kill 'em. Unless a'course ya find a pretty young thing…" It was muffled but they both heard it echoing up to them. They definitely couldn't miss the cackling laughter that followed.

Daryl pushed open the emergency door and guided her through. They had no way of locking the door behind them and if they could hear voices travelling up the stairs then it was possible they could follow in their footsteps to the roof. Daryl's move was to stand at the door, at the ready, just in case. Beth's was to wander over to the edge of the building.

"Shit girl," he hissed when he saw her.

"How about we go over there?" she said over her shoulder.

"Where?"

"There," she stated. She was zoned in on the building top next to them and pointing to the cluster of vents on the roof.

For once Daryl's silence was actually down to a loss for words and not his surly character.

"I know that you're in charge or whatever. But please, _please_ just hear me out," the little blonde pleaded as she hurried back to him. He was still ready for any threat to come through the door but when he didn't express any outright opposition she took her chance and continued.

"Ok. I'm thinking, we get over there and take cover behind those vents and machines and things. We'll still be prepared for any of those… guys. But if we're over there and _hidden_ , maybe we'll be better off than standing here just out in the open, standing targets, waiting-"

"Yeah I get the point," he cut her off. With one last glance back at the door he marched over to the edge with her close on his heels.

"Ya think you can make that gap?"

"I really do." Her smile was optimistic as she looked up at him with raised eyebrows awaiting his next move.

"Makes most sense…" He mumbled to himself for a few moments before turning his attention back to her.

"Ok. We'll do it."

* * *

 **It may take quite a while (or just a long time) between uploading new chapters, but I'm never going to give up on this story or my other.**

 **I know there's not much from Maggie and Glenn, but let's be honest, this story is not really about them is it? We'll see more of them next chapter and I'm planning a little insight into Hershel's thinking very soon.**

 **Thank-you to all those favouriting, reviewing and basically just sticking with this. Like I said I'm never going to just stop writing and leave everything in permanent limbo, but it may take some time to get to the end xx**


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